


Gator Turtle

by DashChan



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-07 22:36:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20824943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashChan/pseuds/DashChan
Summary: Splinter had bought four baby turtles as he and the turtles got mutated.  However, what happens if he lost one of the turtles and this youngest turtle tot is believed to be dead?  What would happen if another mutant found Mikey?A mutant alligator named Leatherhead who decided to take Mikey and raise him as his own.  After many years had passed what would happen if one of Mikey's brothers had found him hunting him down.  Would Mikey find out about his long-lost family? Would he have to choose between Leatherhead and his so-called long-lost family?





	1. Prologue

** Normal POV: **

The story of the beginning is the same as you have heard of it before. However, only this time something had changed, and it changed the lives of four mutants forever, or you could say... it changed the lives of six mutants.  Hamato Yoshi had escaped from Japan from the death of his wife and his daughter, Miwa. Oroku Saki had burned down his home and Yoshi had escaped to avoid any further interference with his insane friend that had now became his enemy.  He had escaped to America and his new life in New York wasn't easy. One day, he decided to go out to the pet store to buy four baby turtles and little did he know, that this day his life would change forever more than it already was.

** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **

Meanwhile.... Another story came to pass. A baby gator once had a loving owner, a young boy. Until his parents had found about him and the gator himself was flushed away into the sewers. And there, the Kraang had found him and took him back to their dimension to be used as an experiment.  He was now changed into a young mutant crocodile who was perhaps barely in his early human years as he was now part crocodile and human. A humanoid crocodile mutant. He was trapped in a tank being subjected to the Kraang's horrible experiments. However, they could not break his spirit**.**

For he had mustered all the strength he had in himself to escape through the Kraang's portal that lead to the Earth, while he in the process had stolen a vital component of the Kraang.... A power cell that powered the portal for the entrance to Earth from Dimension X.

** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **

When Hamato Yoshi saw strange men, and he was holding some glowing substance. He had a bad feeling as he knew whatever these men were doing was wrong. So, he himself began to walk up to them until they attacked vigorously at first. He was now engaged into a fight, and in the process the turtle tank that contained the four baby turtles had slipped from his grasp shattering upon the ground just as Yoshi had knocked the Kraang man back who dropped the ooze canister that also, shattered upon the ground green ooze spilling everywhere. Hamato Yoshi accidentally stepped onto rat's tail as he slipped upon the slick ground around him that was covered with this glowing green substance.

The weird Kraang men had finally disappeared leaving Yoshi laying upon the ground as burning pain exploded across his body. He noticed himself glowing along with the turtles as he howled clutching his head as he screamed.  His body morphed as he saw change in form. He had brown fur, paws, whiskers, rat ears and everything else of a rat. He gasped in shock as he turned his head noticing the baby turtles, they were standing upon two legs. They were also bigger in size, like the size of any human baby. Not to mention, they were also wailing like babies.

Seeing these helpless baby turtle cry made Yoshi's heart clench as compassion overfilled him. He couldn't just leave these turtles like this. Not to mention he wasn't exactly human anymore and he doubted the humans would accept him and these turtles.  As best as he could, he tried to comfort the wailing turtles wrapping his arms around them as he scooped them up into his grasp. He needed to find a safe place for them, and he noticed a manhole cover in front of him as he nodded lifting up the cover as he climbed his way down into the sewers.

He found a small tunnel that seemed pretty suitable to live for now. He also found a couple of rags and old blankets as he set them out setting down the four baby turtles upon the blanket. They'd stay here until Yoshi could find a better place where they could live.  Sighing, he noticed the smallest turtle climbing into his lap as Yoshi wrapped a robe around himself that he had also found. Baby blue eyes were sparkling up at him trying to reach for his face. He leaned his head down as the baby turtle babbled grasping his nose as he cooed loudly.

Yoshi grinned, even if he had lost his wife and daughter, perhaps these turtles would be like his sons, he'd raise them as his own. However, he needed a new name since he wasn't Hamato Yoshi anymore. And that's when the name of Splinter stuck out to him.  Splinter huddled the four turtles closely to him as he remembered a Renaissance book that he and Shen would always keep. It had a list of their favorite Renaissance sculptors, artists. He would give these turtles names, and Italian names seemed to come into his mind. He glanced between each other studying their features.  The one with midnight blue eyes seemed to be calm and stoic as ever.

"Leonardo..." Splinter grinned. That was perfect. He turned to the one who had emerald green irises and this little turtle seemed to be a little rough as he was scowling angrily. "And your name shall be Raphael..." That seemed to suit him as the turtle had blinked up at him. He turned to the olive-green turtle who was glancing around curiously. "Donatello." The turtle grinned at the said name crawling closer to Splinter.

The rat mutant turned to the last turtle who was grasping onto his robe his baby blue eyes blinking up at him as he gurgled. His skin was lime-green with freckles that dotted his cheeks. A sudden thought had occurred to him, there was name that had this sole meaning, 'Who is like God an Angel.' He grinned, Michelangelo.... that named seemed perfect. "And you shall be called Michelangelo." He grinned jostling the little turtle as he babbled loudly reaching up to tug onto his whiskers.  He'd call these turtles his sons, and he would train them in ninjutsu. That's what he decided to do as he went scrimmaging through the sewers having found a place where there was a bunch of left-over clean cloth that somebody had thrown away perhaps. There were four colors and Splinter had an idea as he took each cloth along with a pair of scissors that had found also. 

Splinter adventured back to the spot where he left the turtles as he laid out the bright colors of cloth as he began to cut them. He'd make them ninja masks or bandanas for them to wear. The cloth seemed too big right now, so he'd just tie it around their shells for now.

He watched each turtle crawl over curiously towards him as each of them seemed to be attracted to a certain color. The youngest turtle had grasped the bright orange cloth putting the end into his mouth.

Splinter chuckled as he grasped the cloth cutting out holes that would be needed for the eyes as he did the same for the other cloths. He tied each cloth around each turtle grinning as they seemed to be happy about the bright color that was tied around themselves. Leonardo had blue, Raphael's was red, Donatello had violet purple and Michelangelo had bright orange. Their colors also seemed to fit in with their personalities. He also tied a little brown cloth around their arms that he written their names into so he could decipher which turtle was which.

Deciding that he needed a better place to for them live, he decided to explore more of the sewers along with his sons. He carried them along the way until he set them down as he found this subway tunnel. Perhaps maybe there was an abandoned subway station that they could stay in down further into this tunnel? However, Splinter didn't notice that along the side a sewer pipe was excessively leaking out sewer water creating a large drainage pool that rushed down further into the opposite end of the tunnel.

Splinter turned back around towards the turtles as he picked them up. Wait... something was wrong... there were only three turtles in his arms didn't he have four? His heart began to pound as he glanced around until he finally noticed the other turtle, however, the turtle was leaning dangerously close to the drainage pool trying to reach out towards the stuffed teddy bear that was floating in the pool.

"Michelangelo!"  Unfortunately, it was too late. The young baby turtle tot didn't heed Splinter's call as he fell into the drainage pool grasping the teddy bear as the sewer water rushed around him as he screamed.

"Michelangelo!" Splinter screamed clutching onto the three he had in his arms who each seemed to have confused and frightened expressions. He rushed alongside the drainage pool trying to reach out for Michelangelo only to come to the end of the tunnel as the pool drained out like a waterfall into a wide pipe. Michelangelo disappeared into the pipe as Splinter rushed down the other tunnel hoping that the pipe would drain out into a pool.

He found another drainage pool in another tunnel, but Michelangelo was nowhere to be found. He searched all over not finding a single trace of his son, no orange or brown cloth. He couldn't find anything, he was just simply.... gone... And that's when he noticed the skeleton of turtle floating lifelessly in the water, the orange and the brown cloth were gone before lost into the water. No... it couldn't be his son... But, that was all he needed as he realized the skeleton was sinking into the water. His son, Michelangelo... was dead...

He sank to his knees crying as he clutched onto the remaining three turtles who blinked up at him. Their faces showed sad expressions as they stared out into the wide pool that was tinted heavily with blood.

** Meanwhile... somewhere else in the sewers. **

The gator mutant had escaped into the sewers. He figured it would be the best place to hide from the Kraang if they were ever after him. He clutched the power cell in one hand as he sprinted down the wide tunnel as the sound of sewer water rushing loudly became louder. He glanced around growling until he heard a shrill cry.

He turned his head towards the pool besides him seeing what seemed to be a baby mutant turtle thrashing in the wild rushing sewer water while trying to grasp the teddy bear that slipped from his grasp. The turtle began to sink underneath the depths of the water as the gator mutant's eyes widened.

He immediately leapt into the pool swimming under the water to grasp the little baby turtle mutant as he resurfaced also grasping the little teddy bear as he pulled himself out from the pool.

The little turtle wailed loudly clutching onto the teddy bear as the gator mutant glanced down at him not knowing what to do. He noticed that orange bandana that was wrapped around him and that brown cloth with a name written into it. Michelangelo.... The croc blinked, that was probably the turtle's name. He glanced around finding nothing down here. What happened to this turtle anyway?

The little turtle wailed loudly kicking his little legs in the croc mutant's grasp as the bigger mutant glanced down at him. He couldn't just leave this poor thing out here alone.  Cradling the turtle to his chest where that scar remained over his heart from a recent experimentation from the Kraang the little turtle immediately calmed down glancing up with glassy baby blue eyes.

"Don't worry little one, I'll keep you safe." He replied as he grinned walking down further intothe tunnel as he held the little turtle protectively. "I'll protect you, I won't ever leave you. I keep you as one of my own." The crocodile disappeared deeper into the sewers as he tried to find a suitable place to stay along with this new baby turtle of his that he'd keep.


	2. Little Gator Turtle

Master Splinter had found an old abandoned subway station for him and his three remaining sons to live. They made this place their home and Master Splinter had found some weapons that he could train his sons in ninjutsu with. However, he found too many weapons and decided to throw out a box of them out into a drainage pool that wasn't far from the lair.

Most of the weapons in the box were useless and yet, Splinter hadn't noticed that there were a pair of nun-chucks among the weapons inside the box. He threw the box into the drainage pool as he turned around to head back to the lair to feed his sons some algae.

It was the only thing they really had to eat except for some milk bottles he had also found. He hold his sons about the story of him and Oroku Saki and their mutation day. Of course, he didn't leave out Michelangelo, he would always hold the youngest dear to his heart. Although he did wish that he had taken a picture of him, but unfortunately he did not, he didn't even have a camera in the first place yet. He'd tell his sons about their lost and deceased and youngest brother. About those freckles that dotted his cheeks and those baby blue eyes like none other. He'd cherish his son forever in his heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Meanwhile.... **

The croc mutant couldn't really find a place to stay. He had to keep moving on in case the Kraang were to ever find him or of course, the little baby turtle who he called Michelangelo.  He was standing by a pool of sewer water that drained from a sewer pipe. He set Michelangelo down into a cardboard box as he leapt into the pool to search for some food. He found some algae and scraps of meat and yet that was all he could even find.

He poked his head out from the water just as he noticed a box floating in the water. It probably came from the sewer pipe or something. He grasped the box pulling himself out from the water as he set down the algae and scraps of meat into the box that the little turtle sat in for the turtle himself to eat. The croc opened the box finding it to be filled with wooden weapons, but what caught his eye was pair of nun-chuck.

Gold yellow tips with also gold yellow diamond shapes among the red and the nun-chucks themselves had an actual chain. The croc turned his head noticing Michelangelo who had managed to tip the box that he was in over so he could crawl out.

A piece of algae was dangling from the little turtle's mouth as he crawled towards the larger mutant babbling as he tried to reach out towards the nun-chucks.  The croc chuckled pulling Michelangelo into his arms. Perhaps maybe he could teach this turtle how to fight, not only with brute force, but with weapons. Although that might be hard, for the croc mostly fought with brute force as he was an alligator himself.

If this turtle could learn how to fight then he'd be able to defend himself. So, that's what the croc did, he held onto the nun-chucks for later use for when the turtle got older.  He taught the little turtle how to hunt as a few years went by. Also, he taught Michelangelo how to swim and how to hold his breath longer in water. This turtle was like his hatchling, or his alligator cub, that's what he'd call him. The turtle was a fast learner and was soon beginning to make out some words.

"Dada!"

The croc mutant's heart clenched as he glanced at the little turtle. That was his first word! He reached out to hold the turtle close to his chest as his little hands grasped his long snout, he had to be careful because of his sharp crocodile teeth.

"Good job Michelangelo!" He beamed at the young turtle.

"M....M...."

"Your name is Michelangelo." Maybe perhaps the little turtle would say his name.

"M... Mik...Mik..."

"Michelangelo," the croc urged.

"Mik... Mikey!" The little turtle threw his hands into the air excitedly. The croc blinked in surprise pulling his head back. "M.... Mikey!" The turtle babbled. "Mikey!"

Perhaps the name Michelangelo was still too hard for the little turtle to pronounce yet and Mikey also seemed to suit him.

"Daddy!" Mikey placed his hand upon the croc's snout. "Leath.... Leathwy... head!" The croc let out a soft gasp. He just said that he had a leathery head... wait.... Leather.... head.

"Leathwyhead!"

The croc grinned suddenly at the thought that occurred to him.

Leatherhead? Hmmm, that was perfect! He didn't have a name after all, and Michelangelo just called him Leatherhead.

"Leatherhead it is then. You may call me Leatherhead." Leatherhead held Michelangelo close to him as he scooped up their belongings as he trudged down the sewer tunnel until he came to an old subway station.

There was nothing here, but old subway cars left upon the subway track. This seemed like a suitable and perfect place to stay, he could stay here in one of these subway cars and when Michelangelo was older he could have his own subway car as his room as there were a couple of subway cars close to each other. They all didn't seem to be in any use anymore.  That's what he did, to live in this subway car along with Michelangelo. He also didn't need that brown cloth tied around Michelangelo's arm anymore, for he already knew his name.

Needless to say, Leatherhead had also found some more supplies in these subway cars. Some music CDs, some leather and brown rubber and other stuff. That gave the croc an idea.  That orange cloth that hung from Michelangelo's neck, he could put it around Mikey's eyes like a bandana and he could even make some protective pads for the turtle. Elbow and knee pads along with wrist wrappings. This seemed to be the perfect idea for the older mutant. They were going to make a living here.  As a year had passed, as far as Leatherhead could count Michelangelo was now five.

"Daddy!" Mikey tugged onto the croc's hand. "Me want cwostume like you Leathwyhead!"

"You want... a costume like me?" Leatherhead questioned.

The little turtle nodded excitedly bouncing on his feet before putting on those adorable puppy dog eyes the baby blue eyes sparkling as he practically begged. Leatherhead could not resist such a cute face.

"Alright," Leatherhead chuckled. "I'll make you an gator costume."

"Yay daddy!" Mikey ran into his chest hugging him as tightly as he could with those little arms of his.

So, Leatherhead did what Michelangelo wanted making him a mini alligator costume. It was yellow with red spikes on the back side and along the tail, it also had red wrappings and a white belly with claws and a white eyes with a sharp black pupil.

Needless to say, Michelangelo was overly excited to try on the costume. Leatherhead sat down besides the subway tracks grinning as he noticed Michelangelo stomping around in his gator costume.

"Look daddy!" Mikey threw his hands up clawing the air. "I a gator like you!" He walked around giggling like an innocent child his baby blue eyes sparkling with such curiosity before he pretended to make a roaring noise.

"RAWR!" He roared as loudly as he could acting like a baby gator himself as Leatherhead chuckled watching him. He definitely loved Michelangelo as if he was his own. He'd protect the innocence of this turtle tot at any cost. For Michelangelo was his little gator turtle.


	3. Life is Unfair

Everyday Leatherhead would have to go out hunting and it was a lot easier with Michelangelo with him. He knew how to hunt as Leatherhead taught Mikey himself. The little orange masked turtle crawled on all fours down the pipe that lead out from the sewers.

Leatherhead glanced around making sure the coast was clear as he made sure to be crawling over Mikey protecting him. They came to this small pond that was filled with fish as Leatherhead nodded his head.  Michelangelo made a small hissing noise as he leapt into the water with Leatherhead following behind. Leatherhead swam deeply into the water catching some fish with his sharp teeth and caught them into his gator jaws. He turned his head watching Mikey who was trying to copy him.

Mikey opened his mouth just as Leatherhead did as he swam towards a fish snapping his mouth until he caught a fish in his mouth. The croc swam up to the surface climbing upon the bank as he ate the fish that he caught. When Michelangelo pulled up next to him, he noticed Mikey clamping his mouth tighter as the fish he held in out in his mouth squirmed. He lifted his head throwing the fish into the air as he opened his mouth to catch the fish directly as he swallowed and chewed upon it.

Leatherhead grinned. He surely taught Michelangelo well, he was fast to learn the gator ways despite him only being a turtle.

"Was that good enough?"

Little Mikey bobbed his head grinning excitedly. "Ahuh!"

"Come on, we need to get back before anybody will see us." Leatherhead's tail curved around Mikey as the little turtle climbed onto the gator's back. He squealed throwing his hands into the air as he made roaring noises snapping his mouth.

Leatherhead chuckled as they made their way back through the sewers towards where they lived in those subway cars. The thing was as they were traveling through the sewers Mikey had climbed off Leatherhead's back as he walked upon two feet running forward excitedly.

"Michelangelo!" Leatherhead could feel his heart pound as he rushed to keep up with the energetic turtle. He noticed Mikey walking along the edge of a large drainage pool as Leatherhead growled leaping forward to curve his tail around Mikey pulling him away. "No Michelangelo, that's dangerous." He scolded him as the little turtle blinked up with a confused expression. "If you fall into that drainage pool you could be lost forever."

The orange masked turtle nodded his head somewhat before he babbled. "Me gator will race Leathwyhead back home!" He turned in the other direction racing down the tunnel.

Leatherhead chuckled shaking his head before chasing after Mikey. However, the little ball of endless energy was a little fast for him to keep up for Mikey turned sharp down another tunnel and when Leatherhead turned he noticed two tunnels ahead of him. He didn't know which one Michelangelo took as he glanced between each one. That was until... a scream echoed loudly across the sewers and it wasn't just any scream. Leatherhead instantly recognized it... "Michelangelo!" He screamed rushing down the tunnel where he heard the loud wailing.

As he came to the end of the tunnel he noticed three Kraang droids, and one of them was holding Mikey who was thrashing as he tried to bite onto the droid's arm.

Feeling anger, and a surge of protectiveness Leatherhead growled his eyes clouding over as he roared loudly lashing out at the droid using his jaw to snap off the droid's head as he grasped Michelangelo with his tail curving around the little turtle's body as he brought the turtle close into his chest as he used his jaws to snap the other Kraang droids shaking them as scraps of metal went flying everywhere. The croc then used his claw to swipe at the droids as the pink aliens screeched escaping from the robot bodies as they ran down the tunnel and soon disappeared.

Leatherhead heaved heavily as he let out a growl before glancing down at the frightened Michelangelo who buried his head into his chest.

"It's okay..." Leatherhead could feel his vision clearing. "You're safe, I won't let anything hurt you."

The little turtle lifted his head nodded as Leatherhead used his finger to wipe off the tears that sparkled upon his freckled cheeks. Mikey then suddenly grinned.

"Yeah! No one can beat my daddy! He a swrong gator!" He threw his hands out pretending to claw the air as he let out a roar.

Leatherhead chuckled softly as he scooped Mikey into his arms protectively.

"Come on, we need to get back home where it's safer."

Once they made it back home, Leatherhead made sure to watch Michelangelo closely. For he was always a trouble maker. He grinned as he held out the box where he found those nun-chucks.

"Michelangelo?"

The little turtle turned his head from playing upon the subway tracks. "Yeah daddy?" He walked up to Leatherhead as the croc grinned widely.

"I've decided to teach you how to defend yourself, not only like a gator but also with these weapons, these nun-chucks." Leatherhead held out the nun-chucks as Mikey beamed squealing.

"Oooh! I wanna try! Me wanna!"

Leatherhead held out the nun-chuck twirling it. "I think this is how it works." He handed Mikey the nun-chucks as the little turtle made a fighting pose as he twirled the nun-chucks effortlessly with such ease. Leatherhead gasped softly in shock, it was like Michelangelo already knew how to use this weapon.

The croc watched the little turtle whack the nun-chuck upon the subway railing as he twirled it again over his head. It was like he knew how to use them for his entire life, and that's when Leatherhead knew... Michelangelo indeed had natural and raw talent. For these nun-chucks suited him perfectly.

The croc remembered reading a martial arts book that he had found down here in the sewers. Perhaps he could also use it to train Michelangelo and that was his plan. To train Mikey as he got older.

And meanwhile at the same time. Master Splinter was training his sons in the art of ninjutsu. They each picked their own weapons, Leo with katana blades, Raph with a pair of sais and Donnie with a bo staff.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later.... the years had gone by incredibly fast, in fact ten years had already passed. The turtles were now fifteen.

Master Splinter had finally allowed his sons to go up to the surface for the first time and they tried pizza for the first time and saved this girl named April. Needless to say, Donnie had a crush on her. They were now a ninja team, Leo being the leader with Raph being the tough one or other known as the muscle and Donnie being the brains. Being able to go out to into the real world up above into New York City was a big change in their life. They fought enemies and made new allies. Even Casey Jones whom Raph met when he went topside one day being furiously angry with Leo. He didn't get why Leo was chosen to the leader and he hated it. And let's just say he found this masked vigilante beating up thugs and this guy had followed him back to the lair as April told them he was her friend. That's when the problem with the Foot had started, for they followed Casey. And that same day, Raph made a new best friend. 

One day the turtles were out topside on patrol but there was no activity that night and Raph growled dragging a hand down his face.

"I just want to punch something! Whack some piñatas!" The red banded turtle twirled his sai as he shoved it into his belt.

"I don't think there's anything going on tonight Raph," Leo stated as he glanced down at the streets.

Raph sighed in annoyance leaning back as he stared up at the dark night sky seeing the stars twinkle. He didn't even notice that both Donnie and Leo had too glanced up at the stars.

The hothead could feel himself drifting off as a little voice echoed inside his mind. The stars seemed to blur away as he found himself staring at... a little turtle?

_ What the shell is going on!? _

** _ "Waphie!" _ ** The red banded turtle blinked seeing what seemed to be two baby turtle tots. One with emerald green irises and the other with bright baby blue. 

Wait... that was him and.... he remembered how Master Splinter had told them about their lost and deceased brother. Their Sensei would always tell them about Michelangelo.

Raph blinked as the flashback seemed to dwindle finally disappearing as he found Donnie and Leo sitting beside him as they gazed up at the stars.

"Did you guys ever feel like something was missing from our family?" Leo asked out of the blue.

"Shell yeah!"

"Sure, do Leo," Donnie mumbled.

The leader sighed heavily. "Do you guys remember... anything about Michelangelo when he was still alive?"

"A little," Donnie responded. "It's like a faded distant memory."

"I agree with Brainiac here," Raph huffed.

"We were only babies back then, turtle tots," Leo still kept his gaze up at the sky.

"Yeah," Donnie nodded.

Raph turned his head towards both Leo and Donnie. "Do you guys... ever wonder what it would be like if he was still alive?" Raph could feel tears glisten in his eyes.

No! He can't cry! He won't!

"It probably would've been really different that's for sure Raph," Leo turned his head to regard him.

"And we perhaps wouldn't feel like... there's this emptiness in our lives," Donnie added sadly.

"I just don't get why he had to die so young," Raph choked feeling like he was going to cry. No! He had to keep his emotions at bay, he couldn't cry. However, as much as he tried to hold his emotions back, the tears came down and he couldn't stop them from flowing. "Why did he have to die so young!? WHY!? Why couldn't we have more time with him!?" Raph demanded loudly as tears rolled off his cheeks. He furiously wiped his eyes groaning loudly. He felt so stupid for crying out loud for goodness sake!

"It's okay Raph," Leo touched his shoulder softly. "We all wish the same thing. We all wonder why he had to die so young, but there was nothing we could do about it."

"Life is just unfair sometimes Raph," Donnie spoke softly. "But we just have to deal with it."

The three turtles sighed staring up at the stars.... and meanwhile... little did they know, that something unexpected would soon happen that would change their lives once more.


	4. Mysterious Encounter

Needless to say, that Mikey had trained himself some ninja moves from this martial arts book he found in the sewers. Not to mention the fact that Leatherhead taught him how to fight with force like a true gator. To act like one and he knew about their behaviors.  The fifteen-year-old crouched onto all fours as he snuck into the pool of sewer water. He kept his head barely peeking above the surface as he saw a few mice or rats coming near the pool. Alligators don't just eat fish, but birds and small mammals as well.

Mikey leapt out of the pool suddenly as he grasped one rodent in his hand while he snatched another catching it with his mouth. Sure, that was hard because he didn't have sharp teeth like a croc, but that didn't stop him from biting onto the rodent. Still in his crouched position Mikey leapt out from the pool running upon all fours down the tunnel 'til he came to the place where he lived.

The orange masked turtle entered subway car where his father slept. The croc opened his eyes as Mikey opened the slide door of the subway car as he rose standing upon two feet as he walked towards Leatherhead.

"Thank you Michelangelo." Leatherhead noticed the food that Mikey had caught as he pushed himself up. Mikey nodded his head as he threw the rodent he held at the croc mutant. Leatherhead caught the rat in his jaws as he ate it.

Mikey absent-mindingly shoved the other rodent that he was currently holding with his mouth into the inside. He didn't have sharp teeth nor jaws like Leatherhead or any crocodile of that matter. He knew he was different, he knew that he wasn't a crocodile and he definitely knew for sure that he was a mutant turtle. Leatherhead had told him that he was found in a sewer pool and had rescued. And the other fact that Mikey himself was alone. 

The turtle clamped his mouth tighter grinding his teeth together to chew upon the live meat as a sudden thought occurred to him. Maybe he had gotten lost?..... Or maybe his family had abandoned him? The turtle scowled as he continued to chew his food. But, that didn't matter he had Leatherhead and he was content being this way. Being a gator turtle, it was what he learned ever since he was little.

Standing upon two feet Mikey entered his subway car that was otherwise known as his room. Touching his record player in the corner, he sat down bouncing slightly to the beat of the music.

Meanwhile.... the other three turtles happened to be on patrol.

"Anything?"

"Nothing yet."

"We're wasting our time, the Kraang aren't going to show up."

"Have a little patience, will you? Trust me, guys. They're gonna break into that lab tonight."

"Or we'll sit out on a cold roof all night for no reason," Raph huffed.

"Look! There!" Donnie pointed down below. The three glanced down to see some Kraang droids enter a warehouse.

"Alright ninjas on my lead..." Leo paused mid-rant as Raph leapt off the rooftop. Donnie shrugged besides him before following after Raph. Leo groaned dragging a hand down his face. "Why do I even bother?" He leapt off the roof down towards the warehouse to see that Raph had entered already engaged into a fight as Leo saw many Kraang droids surrounding them. Leave it to Raph to head straight into action without thought....

"Leo!" The leader ducked a firing laser beam. "It looks like the Kraang are building some kind of cannon!"

The blue masked turtle glanced over at the genius who was pointing towards the giant machine further back into the room.

"Then destroy that thing!" Leo swung his katana blades stabbing a Kraang droid in the process. Raph threw his sai through a droid's head before Donnie flipped over him ejecting out the blade of his bo staff as he stabbed the machine sparks flickering everywhere as the genius kept stabbing it until the machine had died down being completely broken. By this point, Leo and Raph had taken down the rest of the Kraang.

"Looks like we finished the job."

Raph smirked cracking his knuckles. "It was nice to beat some shell outta the Kraang for once."

"Mission accomplished," Leo grinned. "If there's no more Kraang activity then we'll head back to the lair." And it turned out, the turtles didn't see any more Kraang, so they had retreated back to the lair.

* * *

** The next morning: **

"My sons you are truly becoming impressive warriors. But to grow as a team, you must know each other's strengths and weaknesses."

"Hai Sensei," the three replied from their seated positions inside the dojo.

"For training today, the last turtle standing wins."

The three obeyed each standing up as they got into their fighting positions. "Hajime!"

Raph immediately went after Donnie first chasing around him to make him dizzy. Raph took the opportunity to kick the genius off guard as the turtle slammed against the floor.

"I'm still seeing stars..." Donnie audibly mumbled.

"Sorry Donnie, it's a ninja-eat ninja world." The hothead suddenly grunted at the force of impact that hit his shell. He turned his head to be faced off with Leo. "I'm gonna wipe off that smirk off your face, permanently."

The two were grunting katana and sai clashing against each other 'til Leo had grasped Raph by the shoulders flipping him over his shell as the red banded turtle landed with a loud thud against the floor.

"Well, Leo won this time." Donnie grinned from the sidelines.

Leo sheathed his katanas not noticing the way Raph was growling feeling rage overtake his being.

The leader grunted as he was slammed against the floor receiving a blow directly to his face. The loud smack echoed across the room.

"Raph! What are you doing!?" The hothead's arms were forced back by Donnie's grip.

Leo noticed the glazed look in Raph's eyes clear up as the hothead pushed himself off him.

"I...I...I didn't mean to hurt him, it was an accident."

Leo pushed himself up folding his arms. He clearly didn't buy it.

"We have spoken about this time and again, Raphael. Anger is a dangerous ally. It clouds your judgment, you need to control it lest it controls you."

"But, Sensei I wasn't angry!"

The red banded turtle scowled as the noticed the three disbelieving looks. He growled clenching his fist. "You know what? That's it... I've gotta get out of here." He stormed his way out from the dojo and out from the lair down a sewer tunnel. "It's always me right? I've got the bad attitude, so I'm the bad guy." He growled climbing up the ladder towards the manhole cover. Maybe hanging out with Casey would help cool him down?

* * *

** Hours later: **

Mikey was walking besides Leatherhead in a sewer tunnel when the croc suddenly growled his eyes clouding over in white. And this, Mikey knew was something that Leatherhead sometimes couldn't control, but something must've ticked off his dad. The turtle turned his head his eyes widening as he saw a group of Kraang droids walking down the tunnel towards them.

"Give the Kraang the power cell that the Kraang has come to demand that you give to Kraang."

"Never!" Leatherhead roared lashing out with his tail smashing the droids against the wall. Mikey let out an animalistic hiss before Leatherhead's tail had wrapped around him protectively. The turtle didn't need to be told twice. He took off immediately with Leatherhead in two. They had to quickly get back home safely.

* * *

** Meanwhile **

Raph huffed as he climbed down another manhole cover. Hanging out with Casey to beat up thugs helped to clear his head. He was walking home a different way, a different way in the sewers. He didn't care, he just wanted to take a longer walk back towards the lair.

The sound of growling and the pitter-patter of feet echoed down the tunnel as Raph turned his head seeing two green forms zoom past quickly through the other tunnel. Emerald green eyes widened.

_ What the shell was that!? _

His eyes narrowed as he stepped into the tunnel seeing two forms disappear around the bend. He clearly couldn't see what they were, but they seemed to be mutants themselves one being clearly larger than the other.

Raph dashed down to the end of the tunnel only to freeze as he clenched his fists tightly. He had lost them and there were three tunnels ahead of him and he didn't know which one the two had gone. He turned back around, there was no point in trying to chase after them, especially if he had been out from the lair so long. He knew how that made Leo upset, but he didn't care about what Fearless always said.

He decided to head back but, before he did he made sure to remember the tunnel that he had gone down. Lifting his head, he read the tunnel number above him as he walked back towards the lair. Maybe next time he'd come back here to find out what the shell those two mutants were and what they were doing. The only thing that he'd have to remember is..... tunnel 281.


	5. Shocking Realization

Raph huffed angrily throwing his head back. It was afternoon and they were each occupied minding their own business. Raph couldn't focus on reading his comic when Leo was watching that stupid Space Heroes show again. He groaned shoving his comic aside.

"That's it, I've gotta get out of here." He decided to exit the lair. He was just tired of his brothers. From that recent lecture that Leo gave him and that talk with Master Splinter that morning about his anger issues. They just all didn't understand, they don't understand him.

The hothead sighed, maybe he could hang out with Casey to go beat up thugs, however, another thought occurred to him. He remembered seeing those two mutants in the sewers in tunnel 281.

That did it, the red banded turtle smirked walking across the sewers and down a few tunnels. Just as he came upon tunnel 281 he glanced around before he froze staring down the tunnel just to his right. The two figures were there again, but before Raph could decipher what the larger figure was it had disappeared into the large pool of sewer water leaving behind the other figure who sat near the pool's edge leaning closely to the water.

The emerald turtle took another step, stepping closer to get a better view and his jaw dropped upon what he saw. There was no mistaking it, that thing was a mutant turtle. It was even wearing a ragged belt of old leather that looked as if it had been torn. Not to mention, there was a bandana around the turtle's head just like him and his other two bros. The thing was, how was that even possible!?

The turtle looked awfully familiar even though Raph couldn't see its face, as it had its back and shell facing him. Raph had this odd feeling stirring in the pit of his gut. He felt as if he knew this mutant and had seen him before somehow even if this was officially the first time he saw this mutant. But, something was telling him otherwise.

The emerald turtle crouched down creeping closer. If only he could catch a glimpse of this turtle mutant's face he'd be able to understand and tell if that feeling in his gut was actually true.

"Holy shell," Raph muttered under his breath as he crept closer. "I swear that you look like...." He could still vaguely remember what his deceased brother looked like and seeing someone who looked like him freaked the heck out of him. "You look like my dead little brother..." Raph murmured and froze in sudden dread. That last part, he said it louder than intended and that was no whisper.

The mysterious turtle's head perked up and Raph's heart started to pound relentlessly.

_ Oh shell! _

Raph's fast ninja-like reflects drove himself back as he sprung from his spot diving behind the tunnel wall as he pushed himself against the wall not daring himself to breathe.

His heart sped up rapidly as he heard the pitter-patter of feet nearing closer to him. Instinctively, his hand rested upon the hilt of his sai as he prepared to defend himself if needed.

Fortunately enough, the sound of footsteps stopped for a moment before they turned away following what seemed to be a splashing noise as the hothead had guessed that the turtle mutant had leapt into the pool He decided to wait for a moment just to make sure and after a full minute of silence, Raph pushed himself away from the as he sprinted back towards the lair.

Either one way or another he had to tell Leo about this. Especially if this was a mutant turtle just like them. He leapt over the turnstiles rushing towards both Leo and Donnie who had their eyes glued to the TV screen in front of them as they sat in the main room.

"Holy shell!" Raph blurted as Donnie and Leo both glanced at him with confusion latched upon their faces. "You won't believe it, I saw another mutant turtle just like us!"

"What!?" Donnie's eyes widened while Leo stared at Raph in utter shock.

"How's that possible?"

Raph nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "How the shell would I know? But, it was freaky I'm telling ya. That mutant turtle looked a lot like Mikey."

"That can't be possible," Donnie shook his head. "Mikey is dead."

Leo frowned instantly at the mention of their deceased little brother. "Can we not talk about him?"

"I know he's dead Brainiac," Raph addressed the genius directly. "But, seeing someone who looks like is really freaking me out man." Raph could feel his body trembling as he clenched his fists. "I'm freaking out, I'm freaking out..."

"I'm Joan Grody, with a sewer shocker."

The three brothers diverted their attention to the TV screen seeing the news being displayed.

"City workers attacked by mutants?"

Raph gasped along with Leo and Donnie.

"It was like part man, part reptile, and all a monster! It came out of nowhere and attacked me."

Raph held up his hands as Leo and Donnie turned their glances towards him. "It wasn't me."

"Or maybe it was that mutant you were talking about?" Donnie suggested.

"Take a look at this terrifying footage."

"Some people think the sewers are dark and scary, but actually, it's a lot of..." A giant crocodile mutant suddenly appeared as the man screamed. "Somebody help me!"

"Are malicious mutants menacing Manhattan? Find out next on Grody to the Max."

"That was not the mutant I saw," Raph folded his arms across his plastron.

"I got a bad feeling about this. The last thing we want is some mutant causing trouble in the sewers."

"Or some news crew down here looking for him," Donnie added.

"We've got to track this guy down and stop him ourselves."

"Wait, let's rewind this," Donnie had grasped the TV remote. "Think I saw a tunnel number.... There tunnel 281."

Raph's eyes widened in horror. It couldn't be.... wasn't he just there just recently?

"Let's go," Leo ordered.

The three took off sprinting across the sewers 'til they came upon tunnel 281 hearing firing laser beams. The three stood in shock upon the scene unfurling before them. There stood a giant mutant crocodile and that... turtle mutant.

"That's the turtle mutant I was talking about!" Raph blurted pointing to the mutant. They watched the mutant crocodile roar loudly as he protected the turtle from the Kraang droid's laser beams. He let out another loud roar his eyes being clouded white as he bared his sharp teeth as the brothers saw the turtle mutant quivering in the croc's grasp.

Kraang droid's surrounded the croc pulling out sticks that they jabbed at him shocking the large mutant in the process.

"Yeah, I can see what you man about that turtle mutant Raph," Donnie state.

They noticed the turtle try to reach something in his belt as the croc fell to the ground being shocked over and over again. The turtle let out an animalistic roar only for a Kraang droid to shock him as well as firing a laser beam at him as the turtle flew back crashing head first into the wall behind with a loud smack and a crunching noise that made the brothers flinch.

Immediately upon impact, the turtle had passed out blood dripping down the side of his face. He must've hit his head really hard, because there was a nasty bruise already forming and the bloody wound was just gushing out a tremendous amount of blood.

"Holy chalupa..." Donnie murmured.

The croc tried to push himself up as he glanced at the turtle mutant letting out a vicious growl.

"Tell Kraang in what place can be found the power cell that Kraang wishes to find the place of."

"NEVER!" The croc roared loudly only to be shocked viciously this time as he lashed out with his tail smashing the Kraang droid's against the wall harshly as the pink aliens fled from the robot bodies. Seeing that all the droid's had fled the croc staggered upon his feet trudging towards the unconscious turtle only to fall flat upon the ground as he immediately passed out from being shock so many times.

"Well, that sure was surprising," Donnie mumbled.

"That was one shell of a fight," Raph added. Leo nodded his head before walking towards the unconscious crocodile mutant. "Come on guys, we have to get this crocodile mutant out from the sewers."

Donnie and Raph both nodded as each attempted to pull the giant crocodile mutant. However, a vicious growling noise made them freeze in their tracks as they each turned seeing the turtle mutant crawling towards them. He was wobbling upon his legs and arms upon all fours. He hissed baring his teeth as he lashed out at them as Raph stepped aside from him. The three only stared in utter shock as they glanced at each other. There was no mistaking it.

"His face..." Donnie muttered with such horror. "He has an orange bandana just like Master Splinter had said about giving Mikey one."

"He's lime-green," Raph added. "And he has freckles just like Mikey does..."

"Leo," Donnie quickly spared a glance at the leader. "Do you think it actually could be...?"

Leo nodded his head in approval. "There's no mistaking it, it is him."

"What!? But he's dead Fearless!"

"He isn't if he's here right in front of us."

"How do you know that?" Donnie questioned.

"I can just feel it, don't you feel it too?" Donnie and Raph both nodded their heads.

"Yeah... but how do you know that you can trust that feeling?"

"I just do," Leo slowly crouched down to the orange masked turtle's level who was growling protectively in front of the crocodile mutant. "Just look at his eyes," the leader spoke softly. "They're the same and they're baby blue and no one else can have eyes like Mikey but himself." Leo reached out towards the turtle only for the turtle to growl more loudly snapping his mouth as he arched the shell of his back upon all fours.

"I-I can't believe it..." Raph could suddenly feel tears spring into his eyes. "He's actually...... alive..."

"But, why is he protecting that crocodile mutant?" Donnie questioned.

"M-Mikey...." Tears appeared in Leo's eyes as he reached out closer towards him. "It's really you... you're actually alive..."

Mikey only let out a roar snapping his mouth towards the blue masked turtle who pulled his hand back. He let out a growl leaping at the turtle who only dodged him as Mikey had missed crashing upon the ground as the young turtle suddenly felt disorientated from the sudden movement as it made his head pound harder as he flinched audibly in pain.

"Mikey?" The turtle felt himself go slump as the three other turtles immediately kneeled beside him worry and concern evident upon their faces along with tears leaking out from their eyes.  He had never seen turtle mutants like him, but his only thought and strong urge was to protect Leatherhead. He felt three pairs of hands grasp him as he hissed loudly as his vision swam colors blurring all around him as the pain in his head intensified.

"Mikey!"

"Mikey!"

"MIKEY!"

This was it... he was so useless, he had failed to protect Leatherhead, his father.... He let out a pained whimper feeling arms wrapping around him just as he felt himself suddenly black out going unconscious.


	6. The Wild One

"What are we going to do with this croc?" Donnie questioned as the three were huddled around Mikey's unconscious form. "Should we bring him back to the lair?"

"Shell no," Raph huffed.

"Absolutely not Donnie.... We're only taking Mikey back, we're not brining that croc mutant back to the lair with us," Leo stated.

"But, what shall we do with him? Just let this croc roam the sewers causing trouble?"

"No, we should chain him up so he can't go anywhere we'll deal with him later. Right now, Mikey is our top priority and we need to tell Master Splinter about this." Donnie nodded his head as he pulled out some chains that he had from his belt as he chained the giant crocodile mutant against the sewer wall.

"That should do it."

"Come on guys, we need to get back to the lair quickly." The three brothers each grasped Mikey carrying him as they rushed back towards the lair in such a frenzy.

The moment they burst into the lair they ushered Mikey into the lab where he was laid upon a cot as Donnie immediately went to work upon the blood wound upon Mikey's head wrapping it up with a bandage. Raph stood beside the cot grasping Mikey's hand tightly as Leo ran out from the lab.

"I'll get Master Splinter!"

The blue masked turtle burst into the dojo and didn't even bother to knock upon Master Splinter's shoji door, he just practically threw open the door startling the elderly rat from his meditation.

"Leonardo, what did I say about interrupting my meditation?"

"This is urgent Master Splinter!" Leo wasted no time to grasp his Sensei's arms as the rat let his son pull him up quickly guiding him out from the dojo and into the lab. 

"What is going on here?" Splinter asked as he entered the lab seeing Donnie and Raph huddled over a cot.

"Master Splinter!" Donnie turned his head towards the rat.

The elderly rat frowned seeing tears leak out from his sons' eyes. "Are you all right, my sons?"

"You won't believe this," Leo glanced up at Splinter. "We finally found Mikey."

"What?" Splinter's ear twitched. Did he hear that right?

"It's true Sensei, see for yourself," Leo pointed towards the cot as both Donnie and Raph stepped aside as the rat finally noticed the unconscious figure with a bandage wrapped around his head. The rat walked towards the figure 'til he stopped besides the cot as tears suddenly flooded into his eyes.

There was no mistaking it, that was Michelangelo all right... His son. The son he thought and believed him to be dead. He was suddenly here before his very eyes, alive more than ever. For his plastron rose with each breath he took. Of course, he was ton older, but Master Splinter recognized him, that orange mask, those freckles that dotted his cheeks, his lime-green skin. He let out a choked sob placing a paw onto his son's cheek. So, all this time, his son was actually alive? And he never knew about it?

"Michelangelo," Splinter whispered rubbing Mikey's cheek as he let himself cry. His son was alive, he was alive!

"We found him in the sewers Sensei," Leo explained. "Raph said he saw a turtle mutant and this croc mutant was causing trouble in the sewers along with the Kraang and we found Mikey there."

"He did get injured," Donnie added. "He and that croc mutant were fighting the Kraang, but Mikey had slammed his head into a sewer wall."

"He was with this crocodile mutant?" Splinter turned his head to regard his sons.

"Hai Sensei."

"Hmmm," the rat tapped his chin. "Perhaps Michelangelo knows this mutant."

"He was trying to protect him from us," Leo pointed out glancing at the orange masked turtle. "He was acting like a wild animal like that croc."

"What happened to that croc?"

"We chained him up," Donnie replied. "He was causing trouble in the sewers attacking construction workers. He's dangerous Sensei."

The rat nodded his head. "When Michelangelo wakes up you must ask him what he knows about this croc mutant." The three brothers each nodded their heads in approval. "However, I must warn you my sons, Michelangelo has not been with us for years so it's possible that he might not remember us." The brothers frowned at that statement. "Be prepared for anything my sons." The rat patted Mikey's head gently. "I'm so glad you're finally back Michelangelo. I cannot express my greatest joy." He turned to the rest of his sons. "Perhaps when he wakes up he may panic, so be on your guard my sons. I shall meditate on this matter about his personal-wellbeing." With that the rat left the lab leaving the three brothers alone with Mikey.

"Do you think he'll remember us?" Raph frowned at the appalling thought. "What if he doesn't?"

"I'm sure he does," Leo spared a glance at Mikey placing a hand onto his head. "Even if he doesn't remember it has to still be in there somewhere.... Deeply hidden into the back of his mind where he cannot find it. The thing is, we might just have to jot his memory out somehow." Leo froze as he felt Mikey shift, he pulled his hand back as the three crowded up close to the cot as Mikey let out a moan.

"He's finally waking up!"

"Guys, we should probably give him some space..."

A louder groan was heard as eyelids finally opened revealing baby blue irises.

"Mikey?"

"Mikey!" Raph gasped in joy a grin splitting across his face as he grasped Mikey's arm softly. The turtle suddenly reacted letting out a growl snapping his mouth towards Raph as the red masked turtle pulled his hand away. Raph did not expect Mikey to suddenly pounce on him as he crashed against the lab floor. The red masked turtle yelped loudly as Mikey's mouth clamped into the crook of his arm sinking into his skin. "AGH!"

Mikey released him before he sprinted out from the lab upon all fours avoiding Leo and Donnie who both tried to grasp him at the same time.

"Did he just....?" Raph glanced at the crook of his arm to see a red bite mark. "He bit me!"

"Quick! After him!" Leo ordered as the three rushed out from the lab. They found Mikey in the TV pit growling like a wild animal as he clawed the couch. His eyes were wide as the three cautiously walked towards him. Mikey let out a hiss clawing onto the TV pit couch once again trying to tear it to shreds if possible.

"What the shell is he doing!?" Raph demanded utterly perplexed at Mikey's odd behavior. "Why in the world did he bite me? Why is he acting like this?"

"Mikey..." Leo knelt down tentatively reaching out towards the smaller turtle.

The orange masked turtle ferociously growled as he grasped a couch pillow biting into it as he shook it tearing it to shreds as Leo stepped back.

"We do we do Brainiac?" Raph glanced at the genius.

"We need to calm him down, Raph."

"How? He's acting like a wild animal!"

"Food," Leo mumbled softly.

"Huh?"

"Feed him some pizza," Leo suggested glancing back at Raph. The red masked turtle nodded his head as he headed into the kitchen to retrieve some left-over pizza. Leo and Donnie stepped closer towards Mikey making sure he wouldn't try to escape.

"Now Raph!" The said turtle quickly returned handing Leo the slice of pizza as Mikey crouched on all fours readying himself to pounce and to attack if needed as the strange blue masked turtle slowly crept towards him.

Mikey's growl died in his throat as he sniffed the air smelling the aroma of this... strange triangular thing. The smell was delicious, nothing that Mikey had smelled before and Mikey's stomach growled in response. He suddenly snatched the food-thing into his mouth from the turtle's hand as he chewed upon this strange foreign food substance.

It was like nothing Mikey had ever tasted before. It wasn't raw fish, neither rodent nor meat. He didn't know what it was, but the one thing he knew... it was delicious, and he loved it. The flavor just seemed to overdrive his senses making his brain explode. The orange masked turtle gobbled the rest of it down as he grinned. During the moment the turtle failed to notice the hand that was upon his cheek as he found the blue masked turtle grinning at him.

"What..." Mikey croaked his voice cracking. "Was what?"

"Pizza," the blue masked turtle replied his midnight blue eyes sparkling back at him.

Mikey felt like he wanted to bite the turtle's hand off his cheek, but he felt calmer for some reason as he ignored the instinct to bite him. Instead he brushed the hand off his cheek blinking in confusion. "Why are you touching me?" It confused the turtle at the mixed feeling that twisted in his stomach. Half of him just wanted to bite that turtle's hand while the other half of him wanted to lean into the touch.

"Mikey," the turtle spoke softly. That's when Mikey noticed the other two coming closer as well.

"Why are you calling me that? Why did you take me? What was that thing I ate? Was it some sort of meat? What was it made of? Why do you wear masks like me? Who are you?" Baby blue eyes surveyed the room glancing around as he began to panic. "Where is the croc mutant? Where am I? Are you going to hurt me?" Questions kept flying straight out from the turtle's mouth in such a frenzy.

"Woah, woah, woah, take it easy and slow down." It was the purple masked turtle who spoke. "You shouldn't overstress yourself. You need to take it easy, you did suffer a hard blow to the head."

"Blow... to the head?" Mikey brought a hand to feel a bandage wrapped around the dome of his head. "Oh...." Realization had dawned on him. He remembered slamming his head against that sewer wall as he blacked out. He dropped his hand as he stared at the three. 

_ Did they just help him? _

A red mark caught his attention as he glanced at the red masked turtle. Oh yeah... he bit him.

"Uh...." He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. They didn't seem to be attacking him, maybe they weren't a threat? "Sorry about that," he pointed to the bite mark as the red masked turtle shrugged in response.

"Don't worry about it, I've suffered worse before bro."

The turtle blinked at that. _Bro?_ He had never heard that word before....

"You're actually alive Mikey," the blue masked turtle reached towards him again. Only this time Mikey recoiled back further.

"Why are you calling me that? What are you doing?"

"You actually don't remember us?" The olive-green turtle emitted a gasp as he frowned slightly.

"What?" Mikey clenched his fists tightly. He was utterly confused and that's when he remembered something important. He didn't have time for this, he needed to... What happened to Leatherhead?

"Where is that crocodile mutant?" He demanded.

"He's still in the sewers, we chained him up is all," the purple masked turtle replied to his question.

Baby blue eyes widened in horror. "You chained him up and left him all alone!? NO!" He started growling as he clenched his fists tighter. "How dare you!?" With that he swiftly turned sprinting towards the turnstiles.

"Mikey! No!"

The turtle grunted as he felt many pairs of hands grasp him forcefully tugging him back.

"NO!" Mikey began to thrash in their hold. "Let me go!" He hissed loudly.

"It's okay Mikey, calm down!"

"No!" The turtle howled. "You chained my father! I have to free him!" He began to thrash wildly as their grips tightened upon him.

"Father? Mikey's he's not..."

"GRRRR!" Mikey growled turning his head to try and bite the closest thing to him, apparently that happened to be an emerald green arm.

"OW!" The red masked turtle shrieked. "Stop biting me!"

Mikey clamped his mouth tighter upon the arm as the turtle could feel hands grasping his head.

"MIKEY!" His mouth was ripped away causing the one he bit to shriek as Mikey felt hands wrap around his head pressing him against what seemed to be someone's plastron. Mikey's vicious growling, snapping of his teeth and thrashing immediately died down as he felt a steady thump against his cheek. He knew what it was, the rhythm of a steady heartbeat. Just the sound and the feeling of it instantly calmed his nerves as he went slack against whoever was holding him.

He glanced up seeing the blue masked turtle glancing down at him as he felt the other two turtle's each wrap their arms around him as well. It felt like an embrace and hut yet at the same time.

_ How did these turtles manage to calm him down? He didn't even know them! _

"Who are you?" He rasped glancing up at the three faces above his own. As if on cue he noticed tears glisten in each of their eyes.

"We're..." the blue masked turtle spoke first his voice cracking suddenly. "We're your brothers..."


	7. Neglected Shame

Baby blue eyes blinked with astonishment. "What? My... brothers?" Mikey was utterly perplexed. He didn't understand.... they were his brothers, but how was that even possible? "But.... I don't have any brothers." The turtle noticed their frowns upon their faces. "What?"

"You do have brothers, Mikey. You don't just remember, you were taken away when we were young."

"What?"

"We lost you in the sewers back then," Leo frowned with a hint of sadness. "Master Splinter for sure believed that you had died."

"Master Splinter?" The name rolled off the younger turtle's tongue, as foreign as it sounded there was a touch of similarity there.

"Yes, Master Splinter. He's our father," the purple masked turtle explained.

"I already have a father," Mikey took a step back.

"Master Splinter once was a human," Leo continued on. "But, he got mutated one day and bought four baby turtles and that was us four, until you got lost and was gone. We all thought and believed you to be dead."

"I... I don't understand," Mikey placed a hand onto his forehead. "If this is true..." His voice quivered. "Then that means that Leatherhead was never...." Baby blue eyes widened in horror. "NO! I won't believe it!"

"It's true Mikey," Donnie took a tentative step forward, but being cautious himself. "You don't look like that croc mutant. You look like us."

And that stated the truth just hit Mikey like bricks. Now he could finally see that...

"I... but I don't remember you!" Mikey blurted tears blurred his vision.

"And that's okay," Leo placed a comforting hand onto his shoulder. "Maybe it'll take some time for some memories to return. At least we finally found you again and that you're here and alive. You don't know how glad we are to finally have you back again, Mikey." Leo grinned at the smaller turtle along with the other two turtles.

"But, I never asked for this!" Mikey growled, tears streaming down his face as he clenched his fists. "I was just fine the way I was with Leatherhead! I don't want to be with you four!" He rambled loudly blinking as he noticed the three turtle's placid expressions. Each of them held a mix of shock and hurt and it was clearly evident upon their faces.

The lime-green turtle flinched at that glancing down with shame and guilt. "I... I..." His voice cracked as he dabbed at his eyes rubbing them furiously. "I'm sorry, I'm just... c-confused.. I-I just don't know!" He clutched his head with both hands grasping the sides of his face.

"We understand, you're confused," Leo frowned with concern.

"Come here Knucklehead," Raph replied grasping Mikey's arm tugging him towards him as Mikey let out a hiss causing the red masked turtle to flinch. "Just... don't bite me."

Mikey glanced up at the red banded turtle with tears in his eyes nodding his head slowly. The emerald turtle seemed to be satisfied as he wrapped his arms around Mikey hugging him into an embrace. Mikey only froze as he closed his eyes feeling the turtle press his head against his plastron.

"It's okay, Mikey." The turtles each surrounded him hugging him. "It'll be okay."

The orange masked turtle sighed. Perhaps he could trust them after all?

"We can all start from the beginning," Leo stated pulling himself back as Mikey glanced up at him. "You don't know our names do you?"

"No..." Mikey shook his head frowning at that fact.

"We'll just start it off easy okay?" The youngest turtle nodded his head as blue masked turtle grinned at him. "I'm Leonardo, but call me Leo. That's Donatello, Donnie." He pointed to the purple masked turtle as Mikey glanced at the olive-green turtle. "And Raphael, or Raph is that one."

Mikey glanced at the turtle who was still holding him in his grasp. That red banded turtle, whom he bit. He felt bad as he glanced at the crook of his arm. He actually bit him twice.

"I... I'm sorry about that."

"Enough apologizin' already," Raph responded. "Just... try not to bite me again okay bro?"

The turtle nodded his head in understanding. "I'll try... I'm just... always used to biting things on instincts sometimes."

"That's understandable when you've been around a croc for such a long time," Donnie nodded his head clarifying. "You've probably been taught croc behaviors."

"I..." Mikey spared a quick glance around themselves. "Where is this... Master Splinter?"

"You want to see him?"

"I... yeah..." Mikey twiddled his thumbs nervously. "You say he's our father... my father right?"

"He sure is." Leo nodded his head.

"Are you sure you want to see him?" Donnie quizzically asked. "We don't want to make you more uncomfortable than you already are about all this."

"No," Mikey pulled himself away from Raph's grasp as the red banded turtle let him. "I... I want to... I want to see him."

"Okay," Leo softly grasped Mikey's arm. "We'll take you to him, he's just in the dojo."

"Dojo?" Mikey complied being led away from the large main room towards these stairs.

"It's where we train as ninjas," Raph explained as they each entered the dojo.

Blinking, Mikey opened his mouth. "Ninjas?" Could that actually be true?

"Master Splinter."

"Hm?" The elderly rat snapped out from his meditation concentration.

The orange masked turtle froze as they stood in the midst of the dojo. It looked quite roomy, with mats and a weapon rack and there was a tree somehow growing in this room and apparently they were in the sewers.

"Michelangelo?"

Baby blue eyes glanced at the rat mutant before him. He clearly didn't know what to do so he just stood there awkwardly waiting for the rat to make his first move. The rat did so, immediately getting up to wrap Mikey into a tight embrace as the turtle flinched resisting the urge to claw and snap his mouth at this mutant. He let the elderly rat hug him tightly as the rat mutant began to sob.

He clearly had no idea what to do, he didn't feel anything. It was just nothing, he didn't feel anything towards this rat his mind was just completely blank devoid of any emotion or feeling that he expected to connect with him.

"My son," the rat hugged him tighter as Mikey only stood rigid in his hold. Finally, and yet slowly he wrapped his arms around the rat in return hugging him back. He figured that it was all that he actually do if he didn't know anything about this mutant who was supposedly his own father... Whom, he never knew nor remembered. The guilt and the shame seemed to build inside of himself, and he couldn't help himself but to feel like... that he really shouldn't be here.

"I'm so glad that you're alive." Master Splinter pulled himself back as Mikey blinked glancing up at him. "All this time, all these years I thought you were dead, and yet you're finally here." The elderly grinned as tears leaked out from his eyes.

Mikey only frowned at this, he didn't know what to feel and what to think of that. He only glanced down biting his lip tightly as he found the dojo floor seemingly interesting. The rat must've noticed this as Mikey could feel a hand gently touch his shoulder.

"Michelangelo?"

He didn't dare to look up at the rat's face to meet his gaze. He already felt guilty enough, how was he supposed to tell his own father that he didn't know him, that he didn't remember him? And that... he didn't feel connected to him in any way? The thing was... how was he connected to this family of his when he didn't actually feel connected to them?

"Master Splinter," Leo spoke seemingly breaking the rising tension, but it only seemed to worsen it further. "He doesn't remember anything about us."

Just like that.... the guilt leapt into Mikey's throat as he made a ragged choking noise. "I.... I'm so sorry..." He glanced up tears leaking from his eyes as he saw Master Splinter's soft, and yet saddened expression. He was just so confused, everything just didn't make any sense to him and yet he should remember them, for they seemed to know him, but the real truth was.... He didn't remember them at all. He felt no connection towards him, just nothing... he couldn't feel anything.

"Michelangelo."

The orange masked turtle flinched as the rat pulled him into another hug as he sniffled. "I... I... I'm just so confused." Mikey's body began to quiver. "You all seem to know me and yet I do not.... I don't feel anything... I don't know what to feel...I.."

"Shhh," Master Splinter soothed him slightly rocking him as Mikey blinked. Well, that was surely something entirely new. "I understand how you are confused Michelangelo. It's okay to be confused, don't blame yourself my son, but know this..."

Glancing up at the rat Mikey noticed the way he seemed to smile warmly at him. "Just understand that we're here for you. You're not alone Michelangelo, we're all here."

"Master Splinter's right," Leo grinned as Mikey noticed his three supposedly called brothers standing around him as well.

"It'll be all right."

"Okay..." Mikey glanced down biting his lip tightly.

"You should rest my son, you are exhausted from this whole ordeal and from that injury of yours," Splinter stated.

Mikey nodded his head. That seemed pretty reasonable, but he had another thought that crossed his mind.

"But... before I do that..." He twiddled his thumbs nervously glancing between each of their faces. "Can I have a request?"

"Sure, what is it that you want, Mikey?" Leo grinned at him as the turtle glanced at him opening his mouth.

"I want.... I want to see Leatherhead."

"What?" Raph demanded pulling his head back. "You want to see that croc mutant? No way!" He threw out his hands with such exaggeration. "That mutant is dangerous!" Mikey could feel something twist in his gut, a deep growl forming in the back of his throat, but he didn't let any sound out.

"Raph's right," Donnie agreed.

"You can see him, if that's what you really want." Leo clarified surprising both Donnie and Raph.

"What!?" Donnie swiftly turned his head to stare at the blue masked turtle. "You can't possibly..."

"It's what Mikey wants," Leo glanced at Donnie giving him a stern look. "If this will make Mikey feel more comfortable than we must let him do what he wants." Donnie sighed as Raph huffed folding his arms across his plastron.

"Leonardo is right," Splinter agreed glancing between his sons as he quickly glanced at Mikey. "If Michelangelo feels more comfortable around this croc mutant then let him be. The best thing to do is to let him do what he wants." With that he turned himself around heading towards his shoji door. "I'll meditate in my room my sons, for now good luck."

Mikey watched the rat disappear behind the door before glancing between Donnie and Raph who looked quite peeved, except for Leo.

"Fine," Raph huffed. "We'll go see this croc mutant."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's what they did, Mikey followed his three bros through the sewers 'til they came among the place where Leatherhead was chained.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey cried rushing towards the giant croc.

"Wait, Mikey!"

The orange masked turtle patted Leatherhead's large snout trying to awaken the croc as the large mutant let out a groan.

"Leatherhead?"

Finally, his eyes opened glancing up at Mikey to find the turtle grinning back at him.

"My big green buddy!" Mikey threw his arms around the croc's neck hugging him as he buried his head into his neck.

"Michelangelo?" The croc shifted pushing himself up as much as he could before he realized that he was chained. He turned his head finally noticing the three other turtles standing there. He let out a ferocious growl his eyes clouding over turning white.

"Dad?" Mikey glanced up at the croc as Leatherhead wrapped his tail around him protectively. Leatherhead growled loudly before grasping one of the turtle's that was nearest to him, and that happened to be Donnie.

"AGH!" Donnie screamed as the croc's giant hand grasped his face shaking him like a rag doll. "Not by the face!"

"DAD!" Mikey cried out clambering his way out from Leatherhead's tail that was curled around him protectively. "It's okay dad!" He stood in front of the giant croc who stopped shaking the purple masked turtle around, but still had him by the face. Leatherhead could notice the way the other two turtles had their weapons drawn, but they didn't move, and Michelangelo was suddenly directly in front of him grasping his snout. "It's okay, they're not going to hurt you."

Leatherhead blinked staring at his sons before glancing at the two turtles and the one he had grasped by the face. That one particular turtle was whining in his grasp trying to grasp his face while he noticed Mikey turn his head back towards the other two.

"It would be best if you uh.... put those weapons away."

"No way, what if that croc actually attacks us?" Raph's eyes narrowed.

"Come on, Raph," Leo sheathed his katana blade. "We must do as Mikey says." The hothead groaned before shoving his sais into his belt.

"See? They're not going to hurt you," Mikey whispered softly. "They didn't hurt me and besides, I won't let them hurt you dad."

Leatherhead could feel his vision clear as he blinked dropping the turtle he held as he landed with an loud grunt.

"You're... fine?" Leatherhead glanced down at Mikey checking himself over for any injuries of that sort. "Then why is there a bandage on your head?"

"Oh, that. Remember how I hit my head from that.... fight?" Mikey didn't dare to say the word Kraang as he knew how it ticked off Leatherhead. "These turtles bandaged it up, they helped me."

"They helped you?" Leatherhead blinked noticing the purple masked turtle push himself off the sewer floor rubbing at his face. "And you trust them?"

Mikey nodded his head. He may be confused, but the only thing he did know... Was that he did trust them. "Yeah, I trust them."

Leatherhead sighed sitting back as he glanced around. "Then why am I chained?" Mikey glanced at his bros for an answer biting his lip.

"Well uh... the answer to that is.." Donnie rubbed the back of his neck. "We chained you up because we thought you were dangerous."

"And you're just a monster," Raph retorted much too quickly not realizing what he said.

"RAPH!" Leo scolded.

Leatherhead let out a growl as Mikey glared at the red banded turtle. "He's not a monster! He's a giant Kraang-crushing mutant alligator with a large heart. And he's my dad," Mikey stated. "Well, he raised me, and I trust him." He stated boldly jabbing a finger to his own plastron.

He noticed the three turtles blink at him being silent. Leatherhead grinned at Mikey, he could've asked for a better turtle croc cub of his own.

"And I say we unchain him and take him back to the..." Mikey tapped his chin. "What is it called?"

"The lair," Leo answered his question.

"Oh, shell no," Raph shook his head. "We can't bring that thing back with us to the lair!"

"We can't leave him here!" Mikey snapped back feeling himself growl.

"This is a bad idea," Donnie shook his head in disapproval.

"Fine," Mikey gritted his teeth reaching over Leatherhead to grasp the chains. "Then I'll just unchain him, and we'll leave." He attempted to unravel the chain that was wrapped around the sewer wall.

"Wait, no don't leave!"

"Don't leave Mikey."

"You can't do this."

The said turtle scowled bitterly glancing behind himself towards the turtles. He let out a squeak of surprise as his bros grasped him tugging him back each hugging him tightly. "We can't lose you again Mikey, please.... never again..." He could feel their arms tighten protectively around him and yet at the same time, he could hear Leatherhead growl as well. A growl that Mikey knew all too well for his well-being. It felt strange seeing them all act protective towards him, but against each other. He did have a sudden feeling that perhaps things might not go too well between them, but he ignored that thought.

"Then, you'll unchain him and bring him back to the... lair?" He asked. His bros each let out a defeated sigh.

"Yeah... we'll bring him back to the lair." In flash Mikey grinned widely as his bros released him attempting to help him unchain Leatherhead from the wall. Once the giant croc was free he grasped Mikey away from his bros setting him upon his shoulders as Mikey snuggled against him. They each trudged back towards the lair, Leatherhead following the turtles and Mikey glanced down at his bros to see them spare glances up at him as if they were making sure that he was fine. Raph had his arms folded across his plastron huffing looking clearly annoyed while Donnie rubbed his face a little stepping aside from Leatherhead a little. Mikey noticed Leo make eye contact with Leatherhead who growled as Leo swiftly turned his head before turning to meet Mikey's gaze instead of Leatherhead's.

Mikey didn't understand.... why was Leo acting protective of him? He could just tell by the look in his eyes and he just didn't quite understand.... Leatherhead would never hurt him... So, what was the big deal anyway? The turtle blinked glancing ahead as the lair came into view. Here they were, finally back at the lair. 


	8. Giving it a Chance

They had finally made it back into the lair and Mikey could feel the tension through the air. It was as if his bros were watching Leatherhead's every move and the croc seemed to watch him in return.  Mikey twiddled his thumbs nervously, he clearly didn't know if he should even tell Leatherhead about the turtles and all. How would he take it?

"Um.... Leatherhead..." The giant croc turned his attention towards him, and Mikey could feel his bros react slightly. They were only getting on his nerves and he hated the feeling of this. "Can you guys... uh... go in another room?" He glanced at the turtles.

"We're not leaving ya," Raph growled. "Especially alone with this croc mutant."

"Come on Raph," Leo placed a hand onto his shoulder. "Let him be."

"Like the shell I'm leaving!? I ain't going anywhere!"

"Raph, be reasonable. It's best to do what he says... otherwise.."

"Like I care?"

Mikey could feel a growl rise up from the back of his throat. He turned himself around facing the three turtles as he hissed loudly. "JUST LEAVE!"

The orange masked turtle noticed the three of them flinch at that, but he didn't care.

Leo nodded his head at Raph who huffed folding his arms across his plastron before following the blue and purple masked turtle out from the main room and into the kitchen.

"Michelangelo," Leatherhead glanced down at his little gator turtle. "Is something the matter?"

Mikey groaned dragging a hand down his face. "My life couldn't be any worse Leatherhead."

"What?"

The turtle sighed removing his hand away from his face. "Well, you see when they took me, and I woke up they said that they claimed to be my brothers and this mutant rat named Master Splinter was my father."

Leatherhead's eyes narrowed at that. "That doesn't make any sense, I am your father."

"Right," Mikey nodded his head. "But this Master Splinter was my true father... more like adopted. They told me how they all got mutated, including me and how they lost me in the sewers. They were so devastated, and they said that they were so happy that they finally found me again." The turtle glanced up to find Leatherhead frowning. "Leatherhead?"

The croc let out a sigh before getting down closer to Mikey's eye level. "I was afraid that this day would come Michelangelo."

"What are you talking about?" Mikey tilted his head in confusion.

"You see I..." Leatherhead sighed. "I found you in the sewers and I took you in since you seemed to be lost and alone. So, I decided to keep you as mine, as my little gator turtle."

"So it is true?"

The croc nodded his head sadly. "Yeah, and it seems like you found your family if they seem to recognize you. Especially those turtles, you look a lot like them."

Tears wielded up in Mikey's eyes as he clenched his fists. "But, that's not the problem...."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know how to feel towards them," Mikey could feel his lip tremble. "I don't remember them, and I don't feel anything. I should, shouldn't I?" He thumped his plastron. "If they're really my true family like they say then why don't I remember them? Why don't I feel connected to them?" Tears streamed down Mikey's face as he hiccupped. "I don't feel anything towards them, and I don't want to be with them, but I want to still be with you."

Leatherhead frowned wrapping his tail around the small clad turtle as the turtle buried himself into his chest as Leatherhead hugged the small turtle.

"Why can't they understand that I don't want to be with them? I was fine and happy with you. I was fine... until they came." Mikey growled.

"Easy there Michelangelo," Leatherhead patted his shell softly. "You should just tell them the truth."

"But it'll only hurt them worse," Mikey whined. "They wanted me back so badly and now I am and all I want to do is to be away from them?" Mikey pressed his head deeper into Leatherhead's chest. "I just don't understand... I just don't understand why... None of this makes any sense! I don't know what I want to do, and everything's just clouding my mind that it's making me feel sick. I'm just so confused!"

Leatherhead wrapped his tail tighter around Michelangelo as he noticed the bros peeking out from the kitchen area.

"Is everything okay?"

The croc only growled tugging Mikey closer as he growled at the three turtles.

"See?" Raph huffed glaring towards Leatherhead. "I don't like this at all."

"Come on, Raph." Leo shoved him back into the kitchen underneath the kitchen tarp.

Leatherhead let out a sigh. As much as he hated what he was going to say next, but he felt like he needed to do it.

"You should give them a chance."

"What?' Mikey perked his head up. "But, I don't want to be with them I want to be with you!"

"I know," Leatherhead smiled sadly. "As much as I hate doing this, as I want to keep you myself forever as you're my little turtle.... It has to be done, they're your family. Your true family, not me."

Mikey could feel tears cloud his vision. "But you're my family too."

Leatherhead smiled softly at that. Michelangelo always had a special way to amaze him. "Just give it a chance okay? And if you don't like it, then you can officially stay with me how does that sound?"

Mikey blinked for a moment as he thought to himself. He pulled out from Leatherhead's hug rubbing at his eyes as he nodded his head. "Okay, I-I I guess I can try that."

Leatherhead grinned before glancing towards the kitchen. "And I can tell that they don't like me being here."

Mikey's eyes widened as he realized where this was going. "Wait, no you can't leave." He reached out to grasp Leatherhead's arm.

"It's okay Michelangelo. I'm going to be just fine." Leatherhead said softly. "I'll only make things worse here, especially since I've attacked them like a monster would."

"You're not a monster Leatherhead, and you never were."

"You truly are wise Michelangelo," Leatherhead grinned. "But this is for the best. And if you need anything you'll always know where to find me."

Mikey nodded his head watching the croc exit out from the lair as he let out a sigh.

"Finally, that croc is gone." Mikey turned himself around to find his bros walking up towards him.

"Are you okay?" Leo asked placing a hand onto his shoulder. 

"Yeah.... I'm fine." Mikey shrugged. "He finally understood, I told him about you guys and how you're my family."

"That's good," Donnie nodded his head.

"And you're sure you're okay?" Leo questioned again noticing Mikey's unreadable expression.

"I'm fine," Mikey snapped gritting his teeth. "Just... let it go." He sighed.

The three bros shared a glance before Raph shrugged.

"Well, maybe we should get you something to eat? How does that sound?" Leo grinned at him.

"Good, I guess," Mikey shrugged.

"Come on," Leo grasped his arm softly guiding him into the kitchen. Mikey didn't know what to feel as he sat at the counter. The feeling was just so bizarre and foreign to him.

"You sure that we don't just sit on the floor and eat?" Mikey asked twisting himself on the stool. He felt rather uncomfortable.

"Yes, this is how we eat," Leo says. "We don't eat on the floor."

"Oh... okay," Mikey dangled his legs slightly as Leo seemed to cook something. He had never seen such a thing before as he tilted his head as Leo placed the bowl in front of him. "What is this?" Mikey stared down at the strange food. It sure smelled delicious, but it made his stomach churn. It wasn't meat, it wasn't fish or anything.

"It's ramen," Leo replied. The other three sat beside him each digging into their bowls of ramen noodles.

"Ramen?" Mikey blinked utterly perplexed. "Is it some kind of meat?"

"No, it's not meat."

"What's it made out of?" He questioned further. Sure, it smelled great, but it was just too bizarre for him.

"It's made out of wheat flour," Donnie explained. "Salt, water, and kansui, sodium carbonate and usually potassium carbonate, as well as sometimes a small amount of phosphoric acid."

Most of those words just ran through Mikey's mind as he couldn't seem to process them for a second. "Wheat flour?" He rasped. "As in grain?"

"Yeah," Leo nodded his head.

"I can't eat this," Mikey pushed the bowl away.

"What? Why not?"

"It's not healthy, it's not meat," he replied.

"Not all things have to be meat to be healthy," Donnie says.

"And you just ate pizza a while ago, and it wasn't just all meat," Raph pointed out.

"Oh? It wasn't?" Mikey tilted his head. The memory was faint to him and he let out sigh. "I guess that'll just go catch myself some food then." He was about to get out from his seat until Leo had grasped his arm.

"You don't have to go anywhere, there's some food in front of you. Just try it."

"But, it's not what I eat," Mikey elaborated.

"Then, what do you eat?" Donnie asked.

Mikey grinned. "I eat fish," he pointed out one finger. "Raw fish, rodents and bones." He could hear a choking noise as he glanced at Raph who seemed to be choking on his ramen as he swallowed it coughing as he pounded his plastron.

"What?" Mikey blinked in confusion. "That's what turtles eat right? We catch raw fish and rodents. Sometimes eat them whole or chew on their bones or if it's too much we throw it up afterwards. I've even eaten a bird once too, mostly just rats, mice and lots of fish, I always eat them whole." He noticed his three bros choking each making gagging noises. "Uh... are you dudes okay?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"You really were raised by that croc mutant weren't you?" Donnie glanced at him.

"Uh.. yeah? But, is there something wrong with that?"

Leo coughed clearing his throat. "You see here Mikey, the way you eat is more of how crocodiles eat and not turtles."

"What? Are you saying that the way I eat is wrong?" He could feel himself growl slightly.

"No, no, uh not at all," Leo shook his head. "It's just more of what a wild animal would eat and not what we would eat."

"But I am a wild animal, we're all wild animals right?" Mikey blurted. Raph face palmed letting out a groan. Baby blue eyes blinked in utter confusion. This just didn't make any sense.

"No, Mikey we're not wild animals," Leo let out sigh.

"But we're animals aren't we? Then shouldn't we be wild?"

"Listen here Mikey," Donnie placed a hand onto his shoulder. "You're not getting it. We're humanoid turtles... we are half turtle and human mutants. So, we're not exactly fully animals persay, we're also human."

"Oh?" Mikey blinked. "But humans are wild animals too right? Don't they eat birds, rodents and fish whole? All raw like it should be? Or even bones and meat?" He noticed his bros heave a loud sigh of frustration.

"This really is going to take a lot to change his wild animal behaviors.... of how he was raised..." Donnie muttered.

"What?"

"Here," Leo reached over to push Mikey's bowl towards him. "Just try this, you'll like it."

"But what if I don't want to eat it? What if I don't like it?"

"Then you don't have to eat it if you don't like it," Donnie nudged his arm gently. "Just try it at least once okay?"

"Uh... okay..." Mikey sighed as he glanced back down at the bowl before him. He placed both hands upon the counter before ducking his head into the bowl eating the noodles like an animal would.

"Woah, woah," he felt himself being pushed back as there was ramen broth and noodles splattered onto his face.

"Ooooh, dude that actually tastes so good!" He blurted grinning widely.

"You don't eat like that Mikey, you eat like this." He turned his head towards Donnie watching the purple masked turtle lift up some kind of... tool.

"What is that?"

"It's a fork," Donnie replied. "Just pick it up like this and use it to eat. See? Like this." Donnie demonstrated using his fork to eat the ramen noodles.

"O-okay," Mikey clumsily grasped his fork as it slipped from his hand as it clanked against the floor. He chuckled nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, hehehe, heh."

Leo had got off from his seat to pick up Mikey's fork before holding Mikey's hand. "You hold it like this," he placed the fork into Mikey's hand closing Mikey's two fingers around the fork with his thumb holding it in place.

Mikey nodded his head as Leo let go of his hand as the turtle then proceeded to stab it into the noodles. He fumbly brought the forkful of noodles into his mouth as he grinned. The noodles were dangling out from his mouth as he slurped them into his mouth. The orange masked turtle then set down his fork before bending his head down into the bowl to eat like an animal would as he slurped up the noodles loudly,

Raph groaned rubbing his face as Leo shook his head.

"I guess this is going to take awhile... and some practice to break him out from his animal habits," Leo murmured.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After their meal Mikey had followed his bros into the dojo room. He sat upon the mat watching his bros spar. It spiked a great interest in him as Master Splinter was instructing them.

"Can I try this too?" He raised his hand excitedly.

The three brothers glanced at Master Splinter who nodded his head. Mikey let out an excited squeal as he bounced over towards his bros puffing out his plastron with pride.

"I'm ready!"

Mikey grinned pulling out his nun-chucks from his belt watching his bros as Master Splinter instructed them into a sparring match.

"Hajime!" Mikey blinked, he didn't understand what that meant, but he yelped when Raph sent a flying punch his way. He ducked his head twirling his nun-chucks to whack him causing him to stumble slightly.

Raph's next move caught him off guard as he wrapped both arms around him in a chokehold.

"Got ya!" Raph smirked holding him tightly as Mikey thrashed. "Now what are you going to do?"

Mikey could feel something bubble inside him. Instincts taking over as he growled biting onto Raph's arm as the red banded turtle yelped loudly.

"ARRGH! Not again!" Raph released him and Mikey swiftly turned throwing down his nun-chucks as they were long forgotten as his predatory and animal instincts took over. He pounced on Raph slamming him onto the dojo floor as the emerald turtle groaned. Mikey was towering over him letting out a ferocious growl snapping his mouth at him. He managed to bite onto Raph's arm as the turtle let out a yelp.

"MIKEY! Stop!" He could feel arms trying to grasp him trying to tug him away from Raph. He only turned his head biting at anything that tried to grasp him, hands, arms, whatever it was. He couldn't seem to control himself, only snapping and biting his teeth. He bit hard into the curve of Leo's arm as the leader let out a howl trying to shove him off as Mikey then found himself being tugged back by Donnie.

Leo fell against the floor clutching onto his arm along with Raph who groaned trying to push himself up. Mikey growled snapping his mouth towards Donnie's hands as the turtle stepped back. The purple masked turtle tried to move away, only to have Mikey grasp his leg biting onto his foot.

Donnie let out a scream falling back onto the floor as he clutched onto his foot. Mikey noticed some red liquid that dotted the floor, but he only ignored that letting out another growl as the mutant rat was slowly advancing towards him.

"MICHELANGELO!"

He hissed like a real croc would snapping his mouth as he lunged at the mutant rat. Everything was a blur, Mikey tried to bite onto him only to feel two fingers pressing against the back of his neck as he fell flat against the floor. He couldn't move his body and he just let out a groan as he felt himself black out for a few seconds.  The pressure on the back of his neck was gone as he opened his eyes pushing himself up as he turned around.

"What happened?" He blinked finally noticing how his bros were clutching onto their wounds. He recognized what they were, bite marks... and they must've been deep for Mikey saw splotches of blood on the dojo floor. Their bite marks were bleeding and Mikey's eyes widened in horror.

He actually bit them! And he must've done it really hard if they were bleeding.

"I-I..." He scrambled back against the dojo wall shuddering as he noticed everyone glancing at him. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean... I-I..." He clutched onto his head in horror. He just bit them, and he just hurt them!

"Mikey...." He noticed Leo reaching out a hand towards him.

"NO!" He hissed loudly before clamping a hand over his mouth. "J-just... stay away from me!" He bolted towards the exit of the dojo. A hand roughly grasped his arm tugging him back as he whimpered loudly feeling himself pressed against a plastron. He could feel arms wrapping around him, and he could only assume it was his bros.

"I-I I'm sorry!" He squeaked tears leaking out from his eyes. He hiccupped in the embrace shutting his eyes tightly. "I'm sorry...."


	9. Growing Contentment

Mikey hiccupped eventually calming down.

"You okay now?" He glanced up see Leo's concerned expression.

"I just don't understand, none of this makes any sense."

"Don't blame yourself for this, it is hard to change your instincts and habits," Donnie says patting Mikey's shoulder softly.

"And you were raised by a croc, so obviously it's going to take a while to change you," Leo added as Mikey glanced up at him.

"Is it bad that I change?" Mikey questioned.

"No, of course not," the orange masked turtle felt himself being tugged closer to his bros. "You'll be changing for the better, and besides you are our brother after all." Leo grinned down at him.

Mikey couldn't even muster a grin back as he nodded his head gazing down to the floor. "Y-Yeah...."

"Come on, why don't we do something else? Something that will calm you down?" Mikey suddenly felt himself being tugged out from the room.

"But, what about training with Master Splinter?" The lime-green turtle protested.

"It's fine, Master Splinter will understand.... and you really need to calm yourself down anyways."

The orange masked turtle let himself be guided into the main room, and seated into the TV pit. He blinked in confusion glancing around as Raph sat upon the beanbag and Donnie sat beside him while Leo was in front of the TV doing who knows what. Mikey couldn't even tell, he was pressing against something and suddenly the TV screen lit up images flashing across it.

"Wait, what's going on?" Mikey was utterly perplexed.

"We're going to watch a show on TV," Donnie replied. "It's called Super Robo Mecha Force Five."

"What?" Mikey blinked as Leo moved himself away to sit down.

"Just watch," Donnie pointed as Mikey trailed his eyes to the bizarre screen thing, otherwise known as TV.

"Woah!" The turtle gasped trudging forwards until he was directly in front of the TV poking at the screen. "How did those people get in there? And what are giant thing with that huge sword?"

"Mikey, don't get too close," he felt a hand grasp onto his shoulder.

"Why not? This is really cool!" The turtle gushed as Donnie pulled him back.

"It can be bad for your eyes if you sit that close to the TV screen."

"How does this even work?" Mikey asked. "Are there real people inside there?"

"No, it's just a projection."

"What?" Mikey turned his head towards Donnie tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It's just an image that's being portrayed."

"Hm," Mikey mumbled turning his attention back to the TV screen. He grinned as he continued to watch the show. This was something entirely new, and for some odd reason.... he loved watching this.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there watching the show over and over again. He just couldn't seem to get enough of it. His bros had gotten up sometime and were in the kitchen having some sort of conversation before they came back.

"You're still watching that same episode?" Raph retorted from the background as Mikey was directly in front of the TV screen dangling his legs behind him as he let out an excited squeal as Captain Dash Coolstar ordered the rest of the gang to control the Mighty Super Robo Mecha robot.

Mikey continued to ignore him only grinning widely at the display of the scene before him.

"You know, you can watch different episodes."

"What? You mean there are more of these?"

"Yes," Leo knelt down as he suddenly shut off the TV.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Mikey protested.

"Mikey," he glanced up feeling a hand upon his shoulder as he noticed Leo's solemn gaze. "We're heading out on our evening patrol, and we decided that we would take you with us."

"Patrol?" Mikey turned himself around.

"Yes," Donnie nodded his head. "It's when we go out to the city above to see if there is any weird activity going on. You know, the Foot Clan, the Shredder, since we're ninjas we protect the city."

"Going out?" Mikey's eyes were wide. "In front of people?"

"Of course not," Raph folded his arms across his plastron.

"We don't want to be spotted by any people, we're ninjas as we hide in the shadows," Leo emphasized. "That's why we mostly go out in the evening."

Mikey could feel his heart pounding relentlessly in his plastron. Being down here in the sewers was his sanctuary and going out up there above... he didn't know how to feel about that. It only made him feel more frightened and he suddenly wished that Leatherhead was here.

"But, you don't have to go with us if you don't to, Mikey."

The orange masked turtle clenched his fists tightly. It was time for him to be big boy and to not always depend on Leatherhead... and if he wanted to be a ninja just like his so-called bros here.... The turtle heaved a sigh trying to regain his composure.

"I-I I want to!" He blurted. "I want to go with you dudes."

"Alright," Leo nodded his head hauling Mikey up to his feet. "You'll just have to stay close to us, you understand?" There was something in Leo's tone that Mikey caught as being serious.

"I understand," he nodded his head rather too quickly.

"Good, then let’s go."

And that's when Mikey followed after his bros exiting out from the lair. He had to bite back the nervousness that threatened to overtake him. He quietly followed after his bros climbing up some sort of ladder and up into the world up above.

"Woah..." Baby blue eyes surveyed the place around him. They were standing in an alleyway and Mikey could see the city lights ablaze. "This is so cool," he drawled in awe until Raph had grasped his arm tugging him along.

"Come on."

Mikey found himself staring up at the building before them, the turtles were climbing up the fire escape and Mikey smirked leaping after them. He crawled in a frenzy like he was always used to doing making it to the top before his bros did.

"Ha! Beat you all!" He smirked in triumphant upon the rooftop as his bros each made their way up.

"How did you do that so quickly?" Donnie questioned completely baffled. "I mean, we're ninjas, and we've been training longer than you."

The youngest shrugged his shoulders not knowing how to respond to that. "I don't know, maybe just instincts? Leatherhead showed me how crocs could crawl, and I've always been used to walking upon all fours, so yeah."

"That seems like a valid answer."

"Ya know," Raph smirked placing his arms behind his head. "I really hope that we get to bash some heads tonight."

"Right, especially after kicking the butts of the Kraang and Shredder's top henchmen while defusing a bomb and saving the city," Donnie clarified. "That wasn't like too long ago."

Mikey blinked glancing between his bros with confusion. Oh right.... they were talking about what they did before... before he even met them. Surely, he did miss a lot of what happened in their lives and with his.

"Yeah, we're not overconfident," Raph smirked.

"We're just that good," Leo grinned earning a chuckle from both Donnie and Raph.

As if on cue, a sudden voice made Mikey squeak his eyes widening in horror as the three bros froze. "Your skills are impressive, but they will not save you."

"Oh man," Donnie turned his head his thoughts suddenly being confirmed. Leo and Raph turned as well each pulling out their weapons. Mikey blinked as he noticed some dark looking man covered in armor who was standing upon the billboard ahead of them. "Look who it is! It's the Shredder, again!"

Mikey pulled out his nun-chucks trying to copy his bros as a few other silhouettes appeared. One was some sort of Tiger mutant and the other some sort of wolf mutant of some sort.

The orange masked turtle suddenly noticed how the man in armor, supposedly called the Shredder from what his bros had just said. He was gazing at him and the turtle could feel nervousness crawling up the back of his shell.

"Hmm, I clearly don't remember seeing four mutant turtles before...Another ninja in training for Hamato Yoshi?"

Mikey suddenly could see how his bros seemed to shift directly of him, as if they were guarding him or protecting him.

"This is where you foolish meddlesome turtles will meet your demise at last," Shredder raised his gauntlet as the other two mutants sprang into action.

Mikey didn't know what to expect as they were suddenly engaged in combat. He noticed the giant wolf mutant swipe its claws at him as he ducked as Donnie whacked him with his bo staff.

"Stay away from him!"

That's when Mikey could feel something inside him snap. He hurled out his nun-chucks unleashing his kusarigama chain as he had managed to wrap the chain around the wolf mutant.

"Take that! Rahzar!" He didn't know if that was the mutant's real name, but the name just popped up into his mind.

The mutant let out an enraged roar as Mikey chuckled swinging his nun-chuck as he flung the mutant against the wall behind him.

"Awesome job Mikey!" He grinned nodding his head as he ran with Donnie to help with Leo and Raph face against the tiger mutant. The orange masked turtle yelped dodging the firing lasers.

A sudden feeling of dread crawling up Mikey's shell as he heard a thud behind him and noticed a dark shadow looming over him.

"Mikey!" He turned his head letting out a shriek as the Shredder had punched him as he was sent sprawling away crashing roughly against the rooftop.

"Why you!?"

The lime-green turtle groaned lifting his head to notice how his bros were attacking the Shredder. However, they had no such luck only to be kicked swiftly away. Raph was sent flying against the billboard crashing into it as he suddenly got electrocuted. Donnie had crashed headfirst into the rooftop as Shredder socked Leo in his plastron.

Mikey's eyes were wide noticing how Leo fell limply upon the ground as Shredder slammed his foot down onto his plastron as the blue masked turtle let out a pained scream.

"LEO!

That did it, something snapped inside him and Mikey could feel himself arching his shell as he was upon all four letting out a vicious hiss. He leapt through the air as the Shredder didn't expect him to suddenly pounce on him. Mikey clawed at him snapping his mouth and bit deeply into the crook of Shredder's arm, a place that wasn't covered with armor.

"You fool!" Mikey kept growling loudly only to suddenly gasp as the Shredder used his other hand to grasp him suddenly around the throat. The turtle feebly thrashed as the Shredder held him up high into the air his hand squeezing around his throat.

"Foolish turtle," Shredder sneered before Mikey let out a yelp as he was suddenly slammed into the wall behind him. Pain bloomed against the back of his head as he suddenly saw black spots before his eyes, and not to mention he was getting dizzy as he couldn't breathe very well with Shredder's hand still clenching onto his throat.

"Tell me where Splinter is, and I promise your demise will be swift."

Mikey didn't reply only letting out a gargle as he kicked his legs at the Shredder trying to do anything as he possibly could to escape from his grasp. He even tried to lean his head down to bite onto Shredder's hand, but it only urged the Shredder to squeeze his throat even tighter in the process.

A strangled gasp was the only sound that erupted from Mikey's mouth as he thrashed harder this time. He could feel the blood pounding in his head, pounding against his skill and the pain from the back of his head. He could feel his throat constricting and no matter how hard he thrashed and tried to claw at the hand that was around his throat he was losing oxygen.

He soon felt himself becoming weaker, his legs stopped kicking he dropped his hands against his sides. He could only hang there limply as his vision continued to get black around the edges.

He could hear the Shredder cackling evilly and barely even noticed how he pulled on hand back, the one with the gauntlet and a blade popped out from the middle nearing closer towards his face.

This was it, he never thought that this would actually so quickly... Perhaps he would no longer have to worry about anything.

"MIKEY!"

Suddenly the hand around his throat had released him as the Shredder stumbled back to dodge Raph's flying sai and Leo who thrust his katana blade at him.

Mikey could feel himself falling, but before he could even make contact against the hard rooftop he could feel arms wrapping around him tightly.

"Mikey?"  He was suddenly hacking as he coughed, hands gripping at his throat as he breathed in. The relief of oxygen finally refilling his lungs.

"You fools!" Mikey lifted his head weakly noticing the Shredder stomping towards them.

"Oh, no you don't!" Mikey could feel his bros each surrounding him as Leo raised his hand into the air and threw down something. It looked like some sort of egg, by the looks of, but Mikey coughed as purple smoke surrounded them and the next thing he knew they were suddenly in the sewers.

"Wha?" He blinked in confusion noticing how his brothers were carrying him.

"It's okay Mikey, we've got you," Leo reassured him squeezing his arm gently for emphasis.

"What happened? What was that?" Mikey let out a cough.

"It's called a smoke bomb Mikey, it helps ninjas to escape."

The turtle let his head sag back against the crook of Raph's arm as he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did I do well?" He rasped his voice shaky.

"Yeah, you did well, Mikey," Leo grinned back down at him.

"You did do a number on Rahzar," Donnie chuckled. "Good name you came up with there."  The orange masked turtle chuckled closing his eyes for a moment. That was his very first patrol and to be honest, he was still shaking from the events. He never expected something like this, especially with all the fighting.

"We're glad you're okay, Mikey," he felt Leo softly patting his head.

"We'll get that head wound wrapped up in no time," Donnie added.

"And we can watch another episode of Super Robo Mecha Force," Raph added rubbing his head softly.

"And we can even eat some pizza too," Leo added with a matter of fact.

Mikey grinned at that letting out a sigh. He could actually get used to this. He finally realized that it actually wasn't so bad staying here with his bros, he was suddenly beginning to feel like in some way or another that he had actually belonged here, that he belonged here with them.  The feeling wasn't totally evident, but Mikey decided to hang onto it. Maybe things were actually changing for the better?  He was slowly getting comfortable with being around here. Feeling more comfortable with being around his bros. Why? He didn't know exactly for sure, but there was no mistaking it.


	10. Brewing Dilemma

Mikey found himself watching Crognard after having finished a bowl of ramen that was placed in front of him. His bros were sitting behind him as the orange masked turtle was dangling his legs.

"Hey guys!"

The orange masked turtle raised his head in alarm, seeing two humans standing there.

Humans!

Mikey's demeanor instantly changed as protective instincts took in.

"Hey, April," Donnie grinned, standing up. The orange masked turtle swiftly moved, landing in front of Donnie as he crouched down upon all fours, hissing as he bared his teeth.

The red head recoiled back, along with the black-haired boy.

"Woah, Mikey!" The turtle felt arms grasping him. He did the first thing that came to mind, biting the hand that was on his arm.

"Argh!" Raph pulled his hand away. "Why is it always me!?"

"Mikey! Calm down!" Leo was in front of him, trying to meet his gaze.

"Wait... Mikey?" Casey's eyes widened.

"Wasn't he deceased?" April asked.

"Well, uh... you see about that... he's actually alive," Donnie chuckled. "This is him."

"Really?" Casey murmured, totally shocked.

"How is that possible?" April glanced at the orange masked turtle who was still in a crouched position.

"We thought he died, but he actually survived and was raised by a crocodile mutant until we found him not too long ago."

"Now that explains his behavior," Casey smirked. "He's a like a gator turtle."

"I can't believe this," April gushed, bringing both hands to her mouth. "He's actually alive."

"Mikey." Baby blue eyes glanced up to meet deep midnight blue. "Calm down, these humans are our friends."

"Friends?" Mikey quirked an eye ridge.

"Yes," Leo nodded his head. "They won't hurt us, and they won't hurt you."

Mikey's feral expression disappeared as he slowly stood back upon two feet. The lime green turtle flinched as the red headed girl was standing in front of him.

"It's okay," Leo whispered, nudging Mikey's arm. The orange masked turtle nodded his head hesitatingly.

April softly touched his shoulder before suddenly hugging him. Mikey blinked, tentatively hugging her back. He didn't even know her and yet, he felt like he already did, as if she was like a sister to him.

She pulled back as Mikey gazed up at her. April patted his cheeks, smiling softly. "You sure are a cute one." And yet, Mikey could feel his cheeks heat up considerably as his bros chuckled. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mikey."

"And you too," Mikey nodded his head. "It's nice to meet you too dudette.... uh..."

"April, April O'Neil," the red head grinned.

"And you sure are one cool mutant dude," the black-haired boy also said, nudging Mikey's arm. "Meet Casey Jones."

Mikey nodded his head at that, not knowing how to further respond.

"So," Casey stepped in closer, slinging an arm around Mikey's shoulders. The lime green turtle cringed at the contact. He wasn't exactly used to interacting like this with humans.

"I heard that you were raised by a crocodile mutant?" Casey curiously tilted his head.

The youngest turtle could see the nervous expressions upon the other turtles' faces as they glanced worriedly at him.

"Yeah," Mikey said more boldly, straightening his posture. "His name's Leatherhead, and he's one rad gator dude." He grinned at Casey. He was actually starting to like this human already.

Casey grinned at him, giving him a noogie as Mikey giggled. "You know since we just met. Why don't we hang out?"

"Yeah dude!" Mikey grinned widely at that thought.

"Casey," Leo said sternly, with a taut expression as he folded his arms across his plastron. "You're not taking him out with you to beat up thugs."

"Pfffh, of course not," Casey rolled his eyes. "We're just going to go out skateboarding. What's wrong with that?"

"I'm in," Raph cracked his knuckles, smirking. "I'm coming too, beats staying here and doing nothing."

"And I'll go as well," Leo added.

"And I guess me too, since everyone is practically going," Donnie shrugged. "Why not?"

April let out a sighed, shaking her head. "Boys.... but I'll come too."

"Sweet!" Mikey cheered excitedly. "We're going skateboarding! Wait, what is skateboarding?

"You'll see," Raph reached a hand to rub his head. Mikey chuckled, before noticing the bite mark on Raph's hand. Why did he always keep biting him?

"And uh.... sorry about that dude..." He grinned sheepishly.

"Don't have'ta apologize," Raph huffed, tugging him closer to his side while everyone decided to nab their skateboards and Donnie brought an extra one for Mikey. "I'm kinda used to it... And it's part of how you are I guess, being part of your croc instincts."

Mikey nodded his head as he accepted that answer. He followed his bros along with Casey and April out topside.

The sunset was gleaming across the horizon of the evening sky.

"So," Mikey set his foot upon his board, watching his bros skateboard around and Donnie seemed to be skating around April who giggled. "How do you skateboard?"

"It's easy," Casey said standing beside him. He placed one foot onto the board and pushed himself forward. "Just push yourself like this and put both feet on the board and use your body and weight to steer yourself around."

"Okay," Mikey gave himself a push as he did as Casey had instructed. He found himself skating with ease as if he had already known how to do this his entire life.

A surge of adrenaline coursed through him as Mikey felt himself skating faster, and past everyone. He flew over the rooftop to the next one, flipping his board as he performed a flip trick.

"BOOYAKASHA!" He yelled, before slamming his foot down as he came to a halt. Everyone else had followed him with shocked expressions.

"How did you do that?" Donnie questioned with a flabbergasted expression.

"I don't know," Mikey shrugged. "It just came easy to me, like I knew how to do it for my entire life."

"Well, that sure was awesome, Mikey," Leo beamed.

"Thanks dude."

"And what the shell was that word you just said?" Raph inquired.

"Booyakasha?"

"Yeah, what does that even mean?"

"I don't know," Mikey shrugged his shoulders. "But it's fun to yell. Booyakasha!" He skidded back onto his board as he rode along the rooftop. He grinned widely before something had suddenly flashed before his eyes.

It was an image of four little turtle tots giggling, and he saw himself there. They seemed to be in the lair, chasing each other and the little mini and young version of him.

"Come here Mikey!"

"Mikey!" The orange masked instantly snapped out from his reverie as he found himself skating along the edge of the rooftop.

One of the wheels had slipped over the edge causing Mikey to thrown off his skateboard as he fell over the edge of the building.

"Mikey!"

The orange masked turtle screamed, taking out his nun-chuck just in time to throw his kusarigama chain to wrap itself around the rail of a fire escape as he used it propel himself from hitting the ground. He was jerked to a rough halt, hanging there just a few feet above the ground before finally letting himself safely fall.

He grunted slightly, pulling back his kusarigama chain. The turtle heaved a sigh of relief as he momentarily closed his eyes.

That sure was a close one.

"Mikey!" The turtle lifted his head to see his bros running towards him with April and Casey following suit as they were climbing down the fire escape.

Before Mikey could respond he could feel the blue masked turtle grasp him and he was suddenly being embraced. His other two bros surrounded him. Raph, who placed a hand upon his head and Donnie who put his hand upon Mikey's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Leo pulled back to excess Mikey's body and Mikey could tell that Donnie was doing the same. Both of them scrutinizing his body for any signs of injury.

"I'm fine," Mikey said Donnie let out a sigh, having found no injuries of any sort.

Leo nodded his head, grasping both of Mikey's shoulders as the turtle glanced up at him.

"You really have to be more careful, Mikey. But would you tell us what exactly happened back there?"

Mikey opened his mouth to speak only to clamp it shut tightly as there was the sound of a robotic voice.

"Kraang must inquire Kraang of Kraang's plan."

"MOVE!" Leo hissed and Mikey felt Raph grasp his arm. They rushed off, quickly climbing up the fire escape and back upon the rooftop.

"Quiet guys," Leo held a finger to his mouth as they all glanced back down to the street. Two Kraang droids exited some sort warehouse glancing around for a moment before returning back.

"I wonder what the Kraang are up to?" Donnie mused.

"One way to find out," Leo's eyes hardened. "We stop whatever they are planning to do."

"Finally!" Raph cracked his neck. "Let's smash some heads!"

"Sounds good to Jones," Casey smirking pulling out his bat.

"Wait!" Mikey's eyes widened as he saw another figure on another rooftop. "Is that another mutant turtle?"

"It's Slash," Raph grinned, recognizing the large turtle.

"Who?" Mikey tilted his head in confusion.

"He was my pet turtle, well, he used to be," Raph explained. "Until he got into mutagen and got mutated and attacked us, but he apologized later on and then he decided that he needed to go solo, until now he has his own team."

"The Mighty Mutanimals," Donnie stated.

"But it looks like the Mighty Mutanimals got bigger all the sudden," Leo squinted his eyes. "Is that a gator mutant-?"

"Leatherhead!" Mikey cried, leaping off the rooftop without second thought.

"Wait, Mikey!"

"Leatherhead!" Mikey screamed, as he climbed his way up the other rooftop rushing towards the gator. Slash, Rockwell and a mutant gecko stepped back in surprise.

Slash was about to pull out his mace, until he lowered it as the strange orange masked turtle was hugging Leatherhead.

Oddly enough, this turtle looked almost exactly like the other turtles. And sure enough Slash saw the rest of the turtle gang along with Casey and April.

"Let me guess, that turtle is your friend?" Slash asked, facing the three.

"He's our brother actually," Donnie corrected. "Our long lost brighter who we thought had died. But he was raised by a crocodile for all these years."

"Huh? Well, what do you know," Slash mused. "Leatherhead here did mention how he had a gator turtle cub of his own."

"Leatherhead!" Mikey pulled his head back to regard the croc. "What... what are you doing here?"

"Michelangelo," Leatherhead glanced down at him. "I joined the Mighty Mutanimals."

"What?" Mikey's eyes widened. "Why?"

The croc let out a sigh. "Because since you're gone and with our family I figured to do something rather than to stay by myself. Slash had found me and said that I could join his team."

The orange masked turtle frowned, clenching onto the croc tighter. "But you can always visit."

"I don't know about that," Leatherhead glanced towards Mikey's bros. Baby blue eyes followed his gaze, as Mikey frowned.

"His name is Michelangelo," Leo explained to Slash. "But we call him Mikey."

Slash grinned. "Well, it's nice to finally meet another turtle brother of yours." He moved forward towards Mikey as the turtle pulled away from Leatherhead.

"Greetings, Michelangelo," Slash greeted the smaller turtle. "Your brothers and my second in command, Leatherhead, have told me about you. I'm Slash," he touched his plastron.

"I know," Mikey nodded. "Raph told me about you."

"What the shell are we doing?" Raph growled. "Who knows what the shell the Kraang are doing in that warehouse!" He pointed towards the warehouse down the street.

Slash turned towards the red masked turtle along with Leo. The two leaders nodded their heads in approval.

"Then let's do this."

"All right team, we break in and smash those Kraang!" Slash raised his mace high into the air.

They all nodded as they leapt off the rooftop and to the warehouse. Slash smashed open the warehouse door as Raph barreled straight in along with Casey. The big group entered the warehouse to find many Kraang droids surrounding what seemed to be some sort of Kraang tech cannon.

"We take them all down and destroy that cannon!" Leo ordered.

They all moved swiftly, Donnie had managed to stab the cannon machine with the blade of his bo staff. Rockwell and April were both using their psychic powers to ward off some Kraang droids.

Leo and Slash were slashing Kraang droids along with Casey and Raph. Leatherhead, the gecko dude and Mikey were fighting alongside each other.

"Ha! Take that from Jason!" The gecko roared as he had managed to whack a Kraang droid with his skateboard.

"Jason?" Mikey said over the loud uproar of laser guns firing. "That's boring dude. Mondo Gecko, no boring."

"Hey, not bad," the gecko winked at Mikey clasping hands with the turtle. "That is one rad name."

"Of course it is dude," Mikey grinned. "Booyakasha!" He roared as he leapt through the air, pouncing up on a Kraang droid as he viciously clawed and bit the robot until he had managed to rip the head off.

The Kraang alien fled from the robot body earning an opportunity for Mikey to pounce on it. He growled as he viciously bit down hard upon one of the Kraang's tentacles. The pink alien let out a loud screech before the orange masked turtle let it go as it ran away in fear. The other Kraang droids had seen this, and terror seemed to take hold upon them all as they all fled into a portal that led back to Dimension X.

"Wow, Mikey sure is a wise turtle," Slash commented, slinging his mace over his broad shoulder. "He really comes in handy when he acts like that."

"Maybe this isn't so bad?" Donnie glanced at Leo.

"Maybe we shouldn't change him from these croc behaviors?" Raph asked.

"No, Raph," Donnie shook his head. "I think these croc behaviors will stay with him forever as they could be part of him.

"You're right," Leo nodded his head. "These behaviors can come in handy in a fight," the blue masked turtle grinned at that thought.

"Cowabunga dude!" Mondo cheered, playfully punching Mikey in the arm. "Do you mind if I use Booyakasha sometimes?"

"If I can use Cowabunga once in a while," Mikey grinned, winking at the gecko. "Like right now, Cowabunga!"

"Booyakasha!" The two high fived each other, both chuckling.

"Well, that went well," Slash lowered his mace. "Mighty Mutanimals," he addressed his team. "We should head back."

"Aww man," Mondo frowned. "I guess I'll see you later dude."

Mikey nodded his head at his new friend, before rushing towards Leatherhead before the gator could follow the rest of the Mighty Mutanimals.

"Thanks for your help, Slash," Leo smiled as the two shook hands.

"Glad to help, Leonardo and thanks for your team's assistance as well."

"You can't leave!" Mikey whined, tightly grasping onto Leatherhead's tail. Tears appeared in the turtle's eyes as he glanced up pleadingly at his gator father. "Come back to the lair with me."

"I'm sorry," Leatherhead frowned, patting Mikey's head gently. "As much as I want to, I'm afraid that I cannot. Your brothers do not want me to do so." Leatherhead pulled away from Mikey, as the croc could feel his own heart break upon seeing his gator cub's expressions.

Mikey's arms fell limply against his sides with a gloomy and doleful expression upon his face.

"Goodbye Michelangelo, we'll see each other again soon," Leatherhead said as he followed the rest of the Mighty Mutanimals and their leader Slash out from the warehouse.

"Come on, Mikey," Leo placed a calm hand upon the orange masked turtle's shoulder. The lime green turtle was glad that his face was turned away, as he didn't want the turtles to see his expression.

He only nodded his head, forcing himself to smile as he followed after his so-called bros back to the lair, along with April and Casey. They spent the rest of the late evening hanging out together.

* * *

**The very next day:**

* * *

Mikey was with his bros in their morning training routine. They were just practicing their katas, until Master Splinter had advised that they meditate. The turtles had done so and Mikey had to have Splinter instruct him on how to meditate.

After the meditation session was over they were excused as Splinter had disappeared behind his shoji door. Raph and Donnie had both exited the dojo and before Mikey could follow suit, Leo had grasped his arm.

"Wait, Mikey, we need to talk."

The lime green turtle could feel his heart quicken at that. What exactly did Leo want to talk to him about?

Mikey obliged, sitting down besides Leo.

"I asked you this before, but you never had the chance to respond fully," Leo said. "Remember when I asked you what happened when you fell off the rooftop while skateboarding yesterday?"

Mikey's eyes widened at that notion. Shell! How was he going to get out from his one now?

"Mikey," Leo's hand softly touched his chin, making the youngest meet Leo's gaze.

There was no way that he would get out this, it didn't look like Leo was letting him go anytime soon. Might as well just him anyway.

"I had some sort of flashback," Mikey murmured softly. "Of you guys and me.... when we were little... and we were chasing each other in the lair." Mikey suddenly felt himself being embraced as Leo placed a hand behind his head, gently pressing the younger turtle's face into his plastron.

"Oh this is great, Mikey! Do you know that this means?"

The turtle slowly shook his head being utterly confused.

"That flashback was a memory," Leo pulled back so Mikey could see his face. "It means that your memories of us are slowly returning."

"Is that bad?" Mikey questioned, frowning at that thought.

"No, it's good news! It means that you'll eventually remember us."

"What!?" Mikey forcefully ripped himself away from Leo.

Leo immediately stood abruptly in concern, reaching towards Mikey who recoiled back further.

"I.... I need to be alone... to think about this..." Mikey murmured, before quickly dashing out from the dojo. He sprinted blindly back to his room as he slammed the door.

He threw himself upon his bed as he began to sob. Throwing his arms over his head he covered his face as he groaned.

He didn't understand! Why was everything and his feelings so complicated? He was surely getting comfortable around them, however, at the same time he didn't want to remember. He didn't want to remember them!

He furiously rubbed at his eyes, hiccupping as he curled himself into a ball. It was exactly how a little croc would curl itself up. He stayed in that position for a while, and he didn't know how long it was for, but it had been quite a while. He stopped suddenly as a thought occurred to him.

_That's it!_

The orange masked turtle maneuvered himself off his bed as he quietly opened his door. Using such ninja stealth, he made his way across hall finding that his bros weren't in the main room. He could hear hushed voices, his bros who all seemed to be talking in the kitchen. Mikey could hear Leo's voice above the others.

"He's slowly getting his memories back," Leo's voice echoed in the kitchen. "He's going to finally remember us." Mikey could hear the other muffled voices of his bros.

He scowled as he spared a quick glance towards the turnstiles. Maybe he could just leave right now before any other memories could resurface?

Leaping over the turnstiles, Mikey sprinted down the tunnel and away from the lair. A familiar tunnel came into his view as Mikey turned around the bend. He came to another clearing of a subway track with abandoned subway cars. The orange masked turtle came to one that he knew all too well for so many years.

Upon opening the slide door with a loud creak he was greeted by Leatherhead turning to face him.

"Michelangelo?"

"Leatherhead!" The turtle leapt at him, hugging him forcefully with all his might.

"What are you doing here?' Leatherhead glanced down at him. "Why aren't you with your true family?"

"But you're my family too!" Tears rolled over Mikey's freckled cheeks. "Leo says that my memories of them are coming back, but I don't want to remember! I don't want to remember them!" Mikey was sobbing by this point into the croc's chest.

"What I have with you, I don't want to lose it. I was fine with you! I was fine! I was happy with you!" Mikey cried as he clutched onto Leatherhead, burying his head into Leatherhead's chest earnestly seeking comfort like all those many other times he had done so when he was younger.

Leatherhead sighed, wrapping his tail around Mikey to tug him closer. He couldn't blame Michelangelo and he was still his gator turtle cub no matter what.

* * *

**Meanwhile... in a dark lab...**

* * *

"The experiments have been complete Mazzzzter!" Buzzkill buzzed, twitching his head.

"Good," a voice replied from the shadows of the darkness. There was the glinting of a metal helmet as he gazed at the tanks of squiggling brain worms.

"All is going to according to plan. That foolish turtle will be used as bait to get those other meddlesome turtles here, and not only that..." There was a malice grin hidden behind the Kuro Kabuto helmet. "With the kind of fierceness and feral behavior I have seen from that particular turtle. He will be of use for me under my control. More vicious and wild than ever, like a true deranged beast." The sound of maniacal laughter echoed across the walls, stirring up once dreadful silence.


	11. Rousing the Beast

"Well, that's good news for sure," Donnie murmured.

Leo nodded his head, a grin appearing on his face. "We're finally getting our long-lost brother back. We're going to get him back." Leo placed a comforting hand upon both Raph and Donnie's shoulders.

"But didn't you just say that Mikey had a violent reaction?" Donnie inquired also.

"Yeah," Leo frowned, nodding his head. "He said that he needed to be alone to think about it and he shut himself in his room."

The genius sighed, glancing down at his palms.

"What is it Brainiac?" Raph questioned. "Is that bad?"

"Only one way to find out," Donnie replied, stepping out from the kitchen. Raph and Leo shared a look betwixt themselves as they followed the genius towards Mikey's room. "His door is ajar," the genius' eyes widened. He opened it as the three brothers glanced inside, expecting Mikey to greet them, however, they were met with silence and no sign of Mikey anywhere.

"What the shell?" Raph growled. "Where is he?"

"Split up the and search the lair!" Leo stated with such audacity.

* * *

** Meanwhile back with Leatherhead and Michelangelo: **

* * *

"They'll never understand," Mikey glanced up at Leatherhead with a sorrowful expression. "I don't get why they want to take me away from you."

Leatherhead heaved a sigh. "They just want their family to be complete, with you." The croc held Mikey tighter against himself.

"They don't need me," Mikey shook his head, ignoring the way Leatherhead frowned at that. "I don't fit with them, and I never have and never will be. I'm only supposed to be with you."

"You do realize, Michelangelo that your bros are going to eventually find out that you are gone."

"Who cares?" Mikey let out a growl. "They're never going to find me again."

The croc held his tongue, refraining himself from speaking out his mind. He knew it was possible that the turtles could find this area, but he didn't want to say anything about that.

"You're sure that this is what you want?" He glanced down at his turtle cub. Part of him was glad that Mikey wanted to stay with him, but the other part of him made him feel grief and sorrow, especially for those other turtles.

"Yes, I've never been more sure," Mikey nodded his head. "And besides they don't even trust you."

Leatherhead nodded his head at that. True, Michelangelo sure was right about that.

"I love you, Dad," Mikey hugged himself against Leatherhead.

The croc mutant beamed, hugging Mikey as if he was everything that he could ever need.

* * *

**Back in the Lair**

* * *

"HE'S NOT IN THE LAIR!?" Raph's voice boomed loudly.

"We've searched the lair, Raph, there's no sign of him," Leo said.

"So where the shell did he go?" Raph clenched his fist. "We can't lose him again!"

"Easy, Raph," Leo held up his hands. "We'll search for him and we will find him."

"If only we had a clue of where he went," Donnie tapped his chin pensively.

Brief silence befell the three of them, as they tried to come up with any clue of why Mikey would leave the lair.

"Oh! I've got it!" Donnie snapped his fingers.

"What is it Brainiac?"

"What if he went back to Leatherhead?"

Raph face palmed, dragging a hand down his face. "Right, of course that Bonehead went back to see that croc mutant."

"That settles it," Leo curled his palm into a fist. "We search every part of the sewers as we can, we will not stop until we find Mikey." The two brothers nodded their head at their leader as they proceeded upon the search. The sounds of their feet dashing in the sewers could be heard through the tunnels.

* * *

** Meanwhile... back with Mikey and Leatherhead: **

* * *

The croc pulled back as he could hear a faint low growling sound.

Mikey let out a nervous chuckle, patting his plastron. "Guess I'm hungry."

Leatherhead smiled at that, setting Michelangelo down. "Say you're up for some hunting?"

A wide grin split across Mikey's face. It sure had been awhile since they had done that. "Yeah!" He nodded his head.

The lime green turtle proceeded to follow Leatherhead through the sewers until they came to a pool of water. The turtle glanced up noticing a beam of sunlight peering through the manhole cover that was up above them, with a ladder along the side of the tunnel wall.

"Ready?"

The turtle turned back to face Leatherhead as he nodded his head. The croc leapt into the water with Mikey followed suit after him.

Somehow there were still some fish down here in this little pool of water. Mikey had managed to catch a cod with his mouth as he leapt out, clamping his teeth tighter upon the fish. He bit as he fiercely as he could, until the fish had stopped flapping going completely still before he opened his mouth to swallow the fish whole, only biting it in half so he wouldn't choke. He didn't really have a large mouth like Leatherhead did, so he did have to eat a little bit differently.

Mikey turned, finding that Leatherhead was still in the pool of water, having caught some fish into his jaws, penetrated by his sharp arrayed teeth.

Oh how the turtle dearly missed this. He actually missed hunting with Leatherhead and it just made him feel.... more free... and more... more animal like.

A sudden shout made the orange masked turtle jump upon his two feet in surprise as he glanced down the tunnel to find three figures standing there. Mikey could feel his heart begin to hammer relentlessly in his plastron as his eyes widened in sheer panic.

"Mikey!"

_ Oh shell! It was his bros! _

Mikey didn't even bother to alert Leatherhead who was currently diving underneath the pool of water. The orange masked turtle could only spin upon his heel, grasping the only thing that was closest to him, and that happened to be the railing of the ladder that led up towards the manhole cover above.

"Mikey! Wait!" The turtle didn't even bother to glanced back down at them. He only scrambling up the ladder wall, hearing Leatherhead's growl from down below.

He shoved off the manhole cover and slammed it as it made a loud rattling noise. Right then he didn't even care if someone would see him out there in the evening, he just needed to get away from his bros!

He found himself sprinting down the dark alleyway as tears leaked from his baby blue eyes.

He just didn't understand! Didn't him taking off with Leatherhead show them that he didn't want to be with them? Why wouldn't they just leave him alone!?

Mikey didn't know how he managed to climb up a rooftop without him noticing it, but he could only fall upon all fours as he clutched onto his face.

Tears were cascading down his cheeks as he hiccupped loudly. He didn't want to be with them! He didn't want to leave Leatherhead! Why were they going after him!? Why were they trying to take him away from Leatherhead!? Why were they trying to destroy what he wanted to do!?

He let out a wretched sob, letting out a hiss into the air. "I never asked to be with them! I never asked to be with my bros! I never wanted to be with them! I'm not like them! Why won't they just stay away from me!?" He hissed, his fingers digging into his skin. "I'm nothing like them!"

"That's right, you're nothing like them," a voice suddenly said.

Mikey let out a gasp, twisting his head around to find a Tiger mutant standing there. "Tigerclaw!?" He said to his uttermost horror, having just named the tiger mutant.

"That's right brat," the tiger was twirling something in his paw. "You're nothing like those foolish turtles."

Mikey's eyes narrowed, his instincts taking control as he growled at Tigerclaw, arching the back of his shell as he bared his teeth. "Stay away or I won't hesitate to tear apart your fur!"

The tiger let out a chuckle. "I can see the feral and animal-like beast inside you," he lifted his paw and fired the little mini dart gun before Mikey had any chance to respond.

There was a loud shriek as Mikey could feel something sharp penetrate into his arm with a buzzing feeling that suddenly made me feeling numb.

The orange masked turtle could feel his body slam against the concrete, as he could suddenly feel himself getting dizzy rather quickly as his eye lids began to droop.

The last thing he saw was Tiger claw's feet standing in front of him. "And that will make you of a great use to my master."

Then the darkness consumed him, making him feel so empty lifeless.

Mikey didn't know how long he was out for, but he suddenly woke up feeling clammy and cold. He blinked wearily to adjust to his surroundings. There was bright light up above him, and he was strapped down against something.

"So, the turtle freak is finally awake?"

Baby blue eyes widened in horror as he recognized the hideous mutant wolf.

"Rahzar!" he trashed blindly against the straps that held him down. "Where am I?" He glanced around finding himself in some unfamiliar place.

"Why, this is my lab bzzzzz," a fly mutant buzzed above him. He was holding some squiggling worm thingy with tongs.

"You've acquired the foolish turtle?" A deep cold voice echoed into the room.

Mikey shivered, instantly recognizing that voice.

"Yes, Master Shredder," Tigerclaw bowed himself slightly from off to the side. "I brought him just like you ordered."

"Good," there was a glint of metal as Mikey's eye widened as he saw that dark figure advancing towards him. "Proceed according to plan."

"Yes, Mazzzzter Shredder," the fly mutant buzzed, his head twitching as he was hovering above Mikey. The turtle could suddenly feel both Tigerclaw and Rahzar grasp the sides of his head, holding it down.

"Dude! What are you doing!?" The turtle hissed snapping his teeth. Baby blue eyes widened in horror as the fly mutant held the squirming and ugly looking worm directly into his face.

"I'm not afraid to bite you!" The orange masked turtle hissed.

"Foolish turtle," Mikey noticed how the Shredder was standing over to his right. "You do realize that you'll soon be set free. The feral deranged animal and beast inside you shall finally be let loose. And you will tear apart those pathetic turtles and your Sensei."

"NO!" Mikey began to relentlessly thrash against his binds. Sure he didn't want to be with his bros. But he wouldn't physically hurt them! He wouldn't-

The turtle could only choke upon air as he felt that worm fall onto his face. He was feeling chills drill up his skin at the cold and sticky feeling of the worm squiggling across his skin.

That was, until the worm opened its mouth with its little tentacles directly above his face before drilling directly into his eye. He let out a horrid scream as pain bloomed across his head, digging deeper as he continued to scream. 

Mikey's own mouth was hanging open as his body vehemently convulsed upon the table that he was strapped down upon.  He could feel his mind becoming clouded and something was burning and twisting in the pit of his stomach. Something was taking control over his mind, and his instincts.

"Itzzzz a special kind of brain worm," Buzzkill buzzed once Mikey's body had stopped convulsing. "It heightens animal instinctzzzzzz. And this experiment has proved to be successful Mazzzter Shredder." The fly mutant's head twitched.

"Good," Shredder nodded his head. "Tigerclaw," he turned to the tiger mutant. "Test him."

"It will be done," Tiger Claw moved around until he was standing directly in front of the turtle. He could see those blank white eyes staring at him as the tiger smirked, bringing his paw down. This only emitted a shriek of pain from the tiger as the turtle had lifted his head up, his mouth and teeth sinking deeply into the crook of his arm.

The tiger cursed loudly, ripping his arm away only to find a deep bite mark that was oozing with blood.

The Shredder grinned with a malice smile behind his helmet as he stared at the turtle strapped against the table. The turtle was clawing at his straps, tearing them apart with a loud ripping sound. Mikey's blank and feral white eyes stared back at the Shredder, hissing while he bared his teeth that revealed prodding fangs that dripped with blood.


	12. The Beast Inside

Leatherhead growled, having blocked the three turtles from climbing up the ladder when Mikey had make his futile escape.

"Leatherhead!" Leo exclaimed.

"That's it!" Raph growled, pulling out his sais.

"Raph, no!" Leo grasped the red banded turtle's shoulder.

"Why not Fearless?" The emerald turtle barked. "He's blocking our way from Mikey!"

"We're not going to fight him," Leo stared at Raph with a somber expression.

Raph huffed in frustration, "Fine!" He shoved his sais back into his belt. Donnie had also done the same with his bo staff.

The leader in blue turned to face the giant croc mutant. "Leatherhead, we're not going to fight you. But we need to get to Mikey."

"He doesn't want you to," the croc hissed, flashing his pointed teeth.

"What?" Leo was taken aback.

"He doesn't want to go back with you," Leatherhead added.

"He doesn't want to...." Donnie glanced at Raph who emerald green eyes had widened as well.

"You're lying!" Raph growled, pointing an accusing finger at the crocodile mutant. "You're only saying that so you can keep him yourself!"

"No," Leatherhead's eyes narrowed. "It's true, why else would he run away?"

"Grr, why you?! That's it!" Raph roared, getting ready to hurl his sai at the croc mutant, if it weren't for Donnie to hold him back.

"Raph, no! Leo told us that we're not going to fight him!"

"I don't care what Fearless says!" Raph snapped, slapping Donnie's grip off his arm. "I'm gonna bash his head so hard that he'll-"

"It's true...." Leo gasped.

Emerald green eyes blinked utterly stunned. His anger seemed to fly out the window as he glanced towards Leo, finding the blue masked turtle sink down upon his knees.

"It is true," Leo muttered. "Why else would he run away like that? Why else would he have had that reaction earlier about his memories returning? Why else would he have ran away when he saw us?"

"You're actually saying that he doesn't want to be with us?" Donnie could suddenly feel tears cloud his vision. "But..." he felt his lip quiver. "He's our brother... and everything was so lost without him... and it comes all down to this?"

The two of them jumped as Raph slammed his fist against the tunnel wall.

The red banded turtle growled, trying to keep his tears at bay, but was unsuccessful.

"But we need him!" Raph gritted his teeth as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Why the shell can't he see that?!"

"I don't know, Raph, I don't know," Donnie frowned dejectedly.

Leo grasped onto the sides of his face. "He's our sunshine.... Even if he doesn't realize it... Our family is complete with him... Without him... when he was gone," Leo glanced down at his quivering hands. "We were broken.... and even though we could've still continued on without him, but it just didn't feel right. There was always something missing, like a puzzle piece to complete the real picture." Tears appeared in Leo's eyes as he used his arm brush it across his face.

Leatherhead frowned upon seeing how the three turtles were suddenly breaking down. He could feel sorrow and guilt twist in the pit of his stomach. He really wanted to help them, but at the same time he didn't want to hurt his Gator Cub.

There had to be another way, there had to be another answer. The croc glanced down at his hands. There had to be a final answer to this. Mikey couldn't just keep his soul split like this forever. And he couldn't just pick one side, for he would be hurting the other. Leatherhead could clearly see that now, how if Michelangelo chose to be with him he'd be hurting his bros. It would be the other way around if Mikey chose to be with his bros, then Leatherhead wouldn't have his Gator Cub around anymore, even if the croc knew that it could be possible that Mikey would be happy like that. However, at the same time then he himself would be alone when he was at home.

Huffing, the croc dragged a hand down his snout. Why must things be so complicated?

"Turtles," Leatherhead took a step forward. The three turtles lifted their heads up. "There is only one way to fix this."

"Oh yeah?" Raph dragged his hand off the wall. "What's that?" He folded his arms across his plastron.

"We all go after Michelangelo."

The turtles blinked and Leo roused to his feet. The blue masked turtle nodded his head, holding out his hand towards Leatherhead.

"We find Mikey together?"

The croc nodded his head, clasping his hand with Leo's. "Indeed, Leonardo."

Leo grinned, nodding his head in approval. Right then Leatherhead suddenly knew, that he just earned their trust.

"We're going to get Mikey back, we'll get him back."

* * *

**Meanwhile in Shredder's Lair:**

* * *

The Shredder was in his throne chair, his fingers tapping against the armrest. It wouldn't be too long until those pathetic turtles would arrive. Once they were dead then Hamato Yoshi would have no choice but to duel him.

Smirking, the Shredder turned his head towards the feral turtle that was chained against the wall. There was a giant metal cuff around his throat as he thrashed like a vicious beast. Saki couldn't wait to finally let him loose to watch him tear apart those meddlesome turtles. 

* * *

**Back with the Turtles and Leatherhead**

* * *

****It had been fifteen minutes of searching the city up above with yet no sign of Mikey anywhere.

"Where the shell is he?!" Raph demanded as they were leaping across rooftops.

"Do you think that he could've left the city?" Donnie glanced at Leo.

"No," Leo shook his head. "I don't think he'd do that."

"Turtles," Leatherhead interrupted them as they skidded to a halt. They turned around to find Leatherhead pointing at a familiar building. "We should check in there."

"In Shredder's Lair?!" Donnie's eyes widened. "You don't actually think that he is in there do you?"

"Only one way to find out," Leo's eyes narrowed.

"Oh yeah! I've been waiting for this!" Raph twirled his sais. "We finally get to bash some heads, especially the Shredder."

"Come on team," Leo beckoned them forward, including Leatherhead. "We have to be cautious and stealthy. Here's the plan," he whispered to the three of them as they each nodded their heads.

Leo leapt off the rooftop with the three of them following suit.

* * *

**In Shredder's Lair**

* * *

"Master Shredder," Tiger Claw glanced from the feral Turtle to his master. "The other turtles should've been here by now."

"Silence," Shredder hissed as the tiger mutant clamped his mouth shut. "They will be here in no time. Just in time for the foolish turtle tear them apart."

Tiger Claw stepped back glancing down at the bandage on his arm. A malice grin appeared on his face. If this is what the orange masked turtle brat would do to the others, then it would such a pleasure to watch them suffer.

The lair was filled with silence, except for the sounds came from the feral turtle who kept snapping his teeth and hissing loudly.

Suddenly, four silhouettes appeared down the end of the room, one looking bigger than the others.

"Shredder!" The dark figures stepped into the lift, revealing Leo, Donnie, Raph and Leatherhead. The turtles scanned the room until they laid their eyes upon Mikey was thrashed more viciously against his restraints.

"You...." Raph let out a growl as his fingers clenched tighter around his sai. "You bastard!" He roared, throwing his sai the Shredder. The Shredder ducked his head, having dodged the sai that soared towards him.

"What did you do to him?!" Leo hissed, unsheathing his katana blades. Leatherhead was growling deeply behind him, snapping his jaw.

"Oh," the Shredder slowly stood, and even though the turtles couldn't see his grin, they could tell that was grinning evilly behind his helmet. "Nothing more than something that heightens animal instincts. For now, the turtle is more feral than ever. And you have no choice, but to meet your demise by getting torn apart from one of your own." The Shredder snapped his fingers and that's when Baxter released the restraints that held Mikey bound, along with the cuff around his neck.

No one had any time to react as Mikey had leapt through the air and lashed his mouth onto someone's arm, his fangs sinking deeply that it drew out blood.

Raph let out a shriek, his shell slamming against the floor as he continued to scream in pain as Mikey's fangs sunk deeper into the flesh of his arm, as blood was oozing out.

"MIKEY!" The orange masked turtle was forced away as the red banded turtle let out a grunt of pain.

Emerald green eyes stared at the blood that was dripping down his arm before glancing up to see Mikey crouched upon all fours. He was hissing, baring his fangs that dribbled with blood.

Raph's eyes widened to his utter horror as Mikey's feral blank white eyes stared at him. It was as if Mikey was a hungry beast, and he was only staring at Raph as his tongue slid out to lick at the blood that tainted his fangs.  



	13. Always A Gator Turtle

Raph couldn't actually believe it! Mikey had just bit him, and not only that he made Raph bleed.

"Mikey! Snap out of it!" Leo held out his hands, in an urge to try to calm down the hissing turtle. "We're not going to hurt you," he knelt down slowly making sure that Mikey didn't break eye contact with him.

The turtle only stood there, snapping his teeth before leaping at Leo. The blue masked turtle rolled over to the side, as Mikey surged past him and had managed to bite onto Donnie's leg. Donnie screamed, kicking his leg in an attempt to force Mikey off him.

Mikey only bit harder, drawing out blood as Donnie gasped feeling himself slam against the floor as Mikey let go of his leg only to sink his fangs deeply into his shoulder near his neck.

The genius' eyes widened in horror, he knew how Mikey's animal instincts seemed to have fully taken control of himself. Not only that, Mikey was going for the kill. The olive-green turtle thrashed, as both Raph and Leo tried to haul the lime green turtle off him. The feral turtle was trying to snap at Donnie's neck as Donnie tried to angle his head and neck away as far as possible.

That was until Leatherhead had grasped Mikey by the shell, hauling the screeching turtle up as Donnie sagged in relief.

"Donnie!" Leo was grasping his arm, his midnight blue eyes widen upon seeing the bloody gash on his shoulder. Raph was clutching his bloody arm as he gritted his teeth.

"He's going for the kill," Donnie murmured. "He was trying to bite my neck."

The three brothers glanced back to see Leatherhead trying to contain a squirming Mikey.

"Michelangelo! It's Leatherhead!" The croc only grunted as Mikey had managed to bite his snout. Dropping the turtle, the croc clutched onto his now bleeding snout as Mikey was rushing towards the turtles.

"What are we going to do, Leo?!" Raph demanded as he dodged Mikey's attempt to bite him once again.

"We have to snap him out of this somehow!" Leo grunted as the orange masked turtle flung himself at him. He slammed back onto his shell, hissing in pain as Mikey clawed at his skin. Mikey tried to bite into his neck, only for Leo to forcefully grasp the sides of his face.

"Mikey! You have to snap out of it!"

This only emitted a snarl from the lime green turtle as he clawed at the hands that held onto his face.

"Leo!" Donnie gasped. "I have an idea!"

"What is it?!" Leo hollered as he rolled off to the side causing Mikey to slam himself against the floor. He grunted as fangs bit deeply into his ankle, hauling him back.

"Leonardo!"

Leatherhead, Raph and Donnie were trying to haul Mikey off Leo. The lime green turtle wouldn't seem to budge, having a vice like grip upon Leo as he bit into Leo's shoulder near his neck.

"ACK!" Leo grunted, feeling warm liquid oozing across his skin. "What is your plan?!" He hollered over the pain as Leatherhead had managed to grasp Mikey's head, tilting his head back.

Mikey snarled, snapping his teeth as the blood that tainted his fangs began to sprinkle upon Leo's face.

"We need to try to get him to remember us!" Donnie grunted, trying to haul Mikey's body back. "We can evoke some memories out of him!"

Leo nodded at that, attempting to grasp Mikey's face to force the turtle to look at him.

"Mikey, look! It's me, Leo!" The lime green turtle's head thrashed in Leo's grasp as the leader tried to keep a stable hold on him. "You have to remember! We're not going to hurt you! We're your brothers! You are our brother!"

The orange masked turtle gritted his teeth, as he shut his eyes tightly. Leatherhead and the others had moved around as the turtle glanced up at them.

"Michelangelo," Leatherhead spoke softly in a calm manner. "It's me, Leatherhead. Remember me? You're my gator Cub."

The feral turtle let out a little noise, that seemed like some sort of whimper. Leatherhead seemed to recognize the behavior as he made a low gurgling sound in response.

"What the shell is going on?" Raph demanded only to be hushed by Donnie.

"Michelangelo," Leatherhead reached his hand forward to touch his face. The turtle didn't flinch, nor did he recoil. "You have to remember. And these turtles here are your brothers."

Mikey's blank white eyes glanced at the three turtles, and to Leo's hands upon the sides of his face.

Something seemed to flicker across Mikey's mind. There were lots of memories that flashed before him, many consisting of him with Leatherhead, but only some of the earliest memories he had with his bros.

The orange masked turtle could feel his mouth tremble as he let out a whimper as he noticed the blood and bite upon his bros and Leatherhead.

"Mikey," Leo pushed themselves up, so they were in a sitting position with all of them surrounding Mikey. "It's okay, we're fine."

"Right," Raph nodded his head.

However, Mikey's still shook his head as tears leaked out from his blank white and pale eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey," Leo soothed instantly cupping Mikey's cheek. "Don't cry, all of this wasn't your fault."

"What is going on?!" Tiger Claw demanded. "There should be no reunion!"

Shredder slowly stood from his throne chair as he narrowed his eyes. "You fools, do you really think that this is going to work?" He sneered. "Think again, for Michelangelo is under my control." The Shredder raised his hand as he unleashed his gauntlets. "KILL THEM!" He roared. "Leave none alive!"

"Grr why you?!" Raph turned his head to growl in the Shredder's direction. The hothead directed his attention back to Mikey as the lime green turtle began to growl.

"Mikey?" Leo tilted his face up to meet his gaze. One of the white eyes twitched as Mikey's mouth opened. "Mikey!"

The four of them were knocked back as Leo could feel himself falling back, Mikey's hand slamming his head against the ground.

Leo's vision instantly went black as he passed out just as he felt something sharp about to penetrate his neck.

"MIKEY!" Donnie had used his bo staff to whack the turtle away from Leo, who was now unconscious.

Mikey turned, viciously growling as he leapt at Donnie, biting onto his bo staff. Donnie tried to fling him off only for the turtle to wrangle the staff as it was a prey and it flew across the room as the purple masked turtle's head slammed against the side of the wall. Before the genius knew it, sharp fangs sank deeply into his arm and threw his body like a ragdoll against the ground. That was all it took for Donnie to finally pass out as his vision darkened.

"Michelangelo!" Leatherhead wrapped his tail around Mikey. The turtle bit onto his tail, causing the croc to roar in pain. He tried to fling Mikey off him, however, Mikey's hands clawed against the scales of his skin, scrambling up his back until he managed to sink his teeth into the back of Leatherhead's neck.

Leatherhead roared, his body falling against the ground as Mikey let go, pouncing upon his snout to slam his jaw against the ground. Mikey was hovering over Leatherhead's neck, readying himself to bite his thick neck as many times as he needed to until the croc would officially die.

"MIKEY!"

Blank white eyes turned to see Raph staggering towards him. The red banded turtle was still clutching onto his bloody arm.

Hissing, Mikey leapt at Raph, causing him to crash against the floor. Mikey bit onto his already wounded arm as Raph shrieked in pain. The feral turtle lifted his head, his body hovering over Raph as blood trickled out from his mouth directly over Raph's face. He didn't make any further moves, only staring down at Raph.

"What are you waiting for?! End the fool!" Shredder roared, slamming his fist against the wall.

"M-Mikey...." Raph croaked, feeling his voice crack. Mikey only hissed, swiftly diving forward directly at his throat. The red masked turtle could feel Mikey's mouth clamping around his throat, his fangs pressing against his skin.

Raph shut his eyes, his mouth open in a silent scream as he awaited the sudden sting of death. It would be really swift and over in just a flash.

He expected his life to end swiftly right there, however, there was no pain.

The emerald green turtle's eyes snapped open in surprise. Mikey's mouth was still clamped around his throat, but his fangs hadn't penetrated him, he could only feel the sharp edges against the tip of his skin.

Those blank white eyes were gazing into Raph's emerald green ones. For a split second, Raph saw something blue flicker in Mikey's eyes.

"You fool! I said end him!" The Shredder roared, sauntering towards Mikey and Raph.

Mikey instantly released Raph as the red banded turtle groaned as he slammed against the floor. He blinked, trying to adjust his vision as he noticed Mikey leaping towards the Shredder.

All Raph could hear was the sound of vicious growling, and the sound of flesh being torn. He lifted his head, his eyes widening in astonishment to find that Mikey and somehow leapt upon the Shredder, but he had clamped his mouth around Shredder's throat and his fangs must've sank deep for the Shredder was trying to rip him away, but his body only staggered making a gurgling sound as Mikey's mouth clamped tighter around his throat.

At that point Raph had never seen so much blood in his entire life. Blood was just oozing out like a flood from Shredder's throat as the man sank to his knees his face turning deeply blue and purple.

Baxter had fled from the room and Raph took the opportunity to throw his sai at Tiger Claw who tried to help his master. By this moment, both Donnie and Leo had woken up feeling a bit disorientated along with Leatherhead, but they forced themselves to get up and face Tiger Claw.

The tiger hissed in frustration before fleeing from the room.

"Wait.... what is happening?" Donnie touched his temple. "I'm so dizzy.... where is Mikey?"

Raph didn't say anything only pointing ahead as everyone glanced over to see what the latter was.

"HOLY CHALUPA!" Donnie gasped in horror at the sight of the Shredder's motionless form upon the ground with a large pool of blood forming around him with Mikey's mouth clamped tightly as ever around his throat, as his fangs were penetrated deeply inside. 

"There's no way the Shredder can survive that," Donnie murmured. "He was practically choked and bled to death."

Leatherhead could only stare in belated shock. He never assumed that this would happen.

"Well, at least that bastard is finally dead," Raph chuckled half-heartily as he clutched onto his bloody arm.

"The Shredder is no more," Leo added.

Mikey had finally released the Shredder, as his body rolled limply against the floor. The turtle turned around to face his bros and Leatherhead.

"Mikey?" Leo ushered in concern. They didn't move, as they waited to see if Mikey was back to normal again.

A sudden gurgling noise erupted from the back of the turtle's throat as he fell forward, his body convulsing as he hacked.

"MIKEY!"

The orange masked turtle sputtered and hacked, blood trickling out from his mouth before his body suddenly lurched, as something came out from his mouth as he threw it up along with blood.

Wheezing, Mikey could only see Raph's sai stab the squirming black thing that he had thrown up. He could feel his body falling backwards as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he couldn't feel anything nor see anything except for darkness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Days later....** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mikey groaned, shifting against something soft that he was laying down upon.

_What happened?_

His eyes slowly cracked open, wincing against the sudden bright light before it dimmed a bit.

"Mikey!"

"Michelangelo!"

Leatherhead and turtles gather around the cot, happy to see that Mikey's eyes were no longer blank and white, but back to his normal baby blues.

The turtle lifted his head, seeing many blurs of green surrounding him, red, blue, purple and one being just green and another figure that was brown.

"You're awake my son," a paw gently touched his forehead as Mikey blinked several times to clear his blurry vision. He noticed that it was Master Splinter and his turtle bros and Leatherhead.

"Master Splinter?" Mikey croaked. The elderly rat hugged him as Mike could feel tears appear in his eyes.

His dad... he could now remember.... but that empty feeling that he always felt was gone. It was as if it was replaced with something. It was something that made his heart swell. He just didn't understand what that was completely.

Master Splinter pulled back giving them some space as he nodded his head. "I'll be in my room if any of you need me."

They all nodded their heads as the rat disappeared out from the lab.

"You're okay!" Mikey blinked as he could feel Donnie touching his cheek, and tears were gathered in his eyes.

"We're glad that you're back, Mikey," Leo gently patted his head.

Raph leaned over to give Mikey a gentle noogie.

"Wait...." Mikey's eyes widened. "The Shredder is he?...."

"He's gone for good, all thanks to you," Leo beamed benevolently at him.

"Oh, that's right," Mikey pressed his palm against the side of his face. "I killed him... I actually did... I..."

"It's okay bro," Leo placed a hand upon his shoulder. Mikey glanced up to meet his midnight blue eyes. "An evil man like him was done for anyway."

"But.... what about you guys?" Mikey noticed the bandages that covered the bite mark wounds on his bros and Leatherhead. "I'm so sorry.... I... I hurt you...."

"None of that was your fault, Mikey," Leo said.

"Yeah," Donnie reached over to gently squeeze his shoulder. "That wasn't you back there. Shredder was using you and using primal animal instincts to control you."

The turtle sagged against the cot as he breathed heavily. "Wait.... Leatherhead is here." His eyes widened. "You actually let him?-"

"Yep," Raph nodded his head. "Of course, we let him stay."

"We know how much he means to you," Leo added. "And we've decided to actually change our minds."

"What?" Mikey blinked. Was he actually hearing that right?

"We decided to trust Leatherhead. From now on, he can always come over to visit and you can see him too," Leo smiled.

"Really?" Mikey's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Really." Leo nodded his head once more.

Tears sprang from Mikey's eyes as he leapt forward to hug Leatherhead. "Leatherhead!"

"Michelangelo," the croc held him tighter as the two hugged each other. They continued to stay in that position for a few minutes.

"So," Leo broke the silence sharing a glance between himself and Donnie and Raph. They had been contemplating something and they knew it needed to be said. "Can we talk about something, Mikey?"

"Yeah?" The turtle lifted his head. He had actually forgotten how much he wanted to be away from his bros, but in this moment he wanted nothing more than to be here with them. He let go of Leatherhead in attempt to hug his bros.

However, they all stepped back further away from him as Mikey frowned.

"What is it dudes?"

Leo heaved a sigh, frowning as Mikey could feel his stomach twist into a knot. 

"Is it true that you want to stay with Leatherhead?"

"Yeah." Mikey truthfully nodded his head at that.

The three brothers shared a look betwixt themselves. This would be a decision that they wouldn't like, but if it would make Mikey happy then they'd be okay.

"We've decided that you should actually and permanently stay with Leatherhead."

"Sweet!" Mikey cheered pumping his fist before realization dawned upon him. "Wait, what? You serious?"

"Deadly serious," Donnie nodded his head.

"We are," Leo smiled softly. "This will make you more happier rather than staying with us."

The orange masked turtle suddenly frowned at that notion.

This was what he wanted right? He wanted to stay with Leatherhead. It was what he wanted all along. But then how come that still didn't feel right?

"No," Mikey shook his head. Reminiscing those times, he had with his bros. If he stayed with Leatherhead he would miss them. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Leo inquired, raising an eye ridge. "You ran away because you didn't want to be with us right?"

"Yeah but...." Mikey bit onto his lip. He was actually glad that his fangs were gone otherwise his mouth would've been bleeding by now. "I don't feel like that anymore. This isn't what I want."

"Then what do you want?" Donnie asked.

Mikey let out a sigh. He glanced between his bros and Leatherhead.

"Well, I was raised by a croc and have croc instincts and behaviors," he pointed towards Leatherhead. "And Leatherhead is like a father to me and he'll always be.... but..." Mikey turned to face his bros. "But I'm not just a croc mutant. I'm actually a turtle just like you three are... I'm a Gator Turtle. And you are my bros." Mikey patted his plastron for emphasis. "And brothers are supposed to stay together right?"

"What exactly are trying to get at?" Raph blinked in confusion.

"I'm saying... that I want to stay with both of you guys. That is what I want."

"No, Mikey," Leo shook his head. "You can't do that."

"Why?" Mikey clenched his fist. "This is exactly what I want."

"But you know that's impossible," Donnie elaborated. "Unless you would be switching around with staying with us and with Leatherhead."

"Maybe it doesn't have to be that way dudes," the orange masked turtle grinned at a sudden thought.

"What?"

Mikey's grinned widened. "What if.... Leatherhead stays here too? Then we'd all be together."

"How?" Donnie leaned himself forward. "We don't have room for Leatherhead to actually stay here."

"Yes, we do," Mikey nodded his head. "Those subway tracks behind the turnstiles. No more subways go down those tracks anymore right?"

"That's right," Leo nodded in approval.

"Then, what if Leatherhead lived there? That way he can be really close to me. He would be living here too with me and I would still be living with you dudes."

Everyone was shocked into silence as Mikey had a smug expression upon his face.

"Wow, Mikey," Leo grinned. "That was actually really smart."

"I know right?" The turtle could barely contain his excitement.

"Come here ya little bonehead," Raph gestured him forward. Mikey wasted no time to rush towards his bros and grasp them all into a giant hug.

"I love you dudes," he found himself being squashed in the very middle of the hug. He suddenly could see the tears that leaked out from their eyes.

"Love you too, Mikey," Leo said softly.

"Love ya," Raph murmured.

"And I too," Donnie added.

"We're glad that you actually still want to stay with us, Mikey."

"Me too," Mikey squeezed them tighter. "Without you and Leatherhead I would not be complete." The turtle glanced up as Leatherhead joined into the hug. He was actually glad that both of his families could actually stay together.

They had all spent the rest of the day together, watching a movie while healing up. Mikey was curled up against Leatherhead's side as his bros chuckled at this. They decided that they themselves would join in as well, cuddling themselves around Mikey in the process as the orange masked turtle was finally feeling more content than ever.

And that was how it was. Leatherhead had managed to move all his belongings along with Mikey's from the subway car into a new one in the same station that was directly in front of the lair. Now Mikey could always see Leatherhead every day and he was also still with his bros. After all, he was a gator and a turtle. He was a Gator Turtle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! I hope you enjoyed reading this story. Don't forget to stay rad!


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